


Doki Doki Literature Club: The Natsuki Files 2

by Elyos



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Consensual Rape (it's not rape if it's consensual), Crass Humor, Doki doki literature club - Freeform, F/F, Lesbian, Martial Arts, Masturbation, Multi, Mutual Masturbation, Romance, Sex, Shoujo-ai, Story, adult, ddlc - Freeform, jiu-jitsu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:48:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21871714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elyos/pseuds/Elyos
Summary: Sequel to Doki Doki Literature Club: The Natsuki FilesLife goes on for Natsuki and Yuri as they grow up and emerge into the real world, outside the safety of the school walls.Natsuki has another secret. She may propose to Yuri.You never know what the night could bring.
Relationships: Natsuki/Yuri
Comments: 5
Kudos: 34





	1. The Real World

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day -2, 1008

I didn't know this, but military time is written without the colon between the first two digits and the last two digits, and it's always four digits long. Kind of cool, huh? Wait a minute, does that even make sense in translation? Oh, who cares, what am I saying?

...

My name is Natsuki. I'm officially a high school graduate. It's been a few years since I started dating Yuri. If you're curious, yes, we're still going steady. The flame of our love hasn't died yet, and frankly, I don't think it ever will. You might be wondering to yourself, "What could Natsuki possibly want more than a nice, soft pair of boobies she could stick her face into whenever she wants?" To be honest, I wanted to start this off with a confession—not to Yuri, but to you.

Yuri and I did some... pretty nasty things a few years ago. Looking back on it now, I feel kinda stupid. What was I thinking, going that far? She feels a bit ashamed of herself, too. We were both just... kinda going through a phase, I guess. Yuri's certainly matured a bit since we first got together. We actually moved into an apartment together! Can you believe that? Yuri and I, living under one roof, just a nineteen-year-old and a twenty-year-old. Yes, that means Yuri turned eighteen before I did. Yes, that makes her a... what was that word? Ephebophile! That's right. Yuri is officially an ephebophile. That means she's technically an adult who finds people aged in the upper teens attractive.

Okay, enough of the stupid technicalities. Look, Yuri and I have a huge problem. And by Yuri and I, I mean I, myself, and Yuri doesn't know about it. I'm seriously thinking of proposing to Yuri. Why the hell not, right? We've dated long enough, and I think we'd be a cute couple. Cute...er couple? Just imagining myself and Yuri standing next to each other, both of us in our wedding dresses... or maybe Yuri in a tuxedo, that'd be pretty sexy, too. Admit it, it'd be sexy. Anyway, I want to do this right. No bullshit, no crazy sex, no... okay, hold it. Yuri and I have to get crazy every now and then, so I can't make any promises about the crazy sex part. We've moved beyond the experimental phase of our relationship. We know what our kinks are, and we know just how to tap into 'em. We're not going to do that this time. You have my word. Stuff like that is strictly for the bedroom, behind a locked door.

Oh, I bet you're wondering how well we've developed, physically, since our time in high school. Well, every time I look in the mirror, it pisses me off. I barely grew half a foot! I'm still the shortest fucker around! With the exception of Sayori. That shortcake. By the way, Sayori and Yu got together right after they graduated high school.

As for Monika... I don't know where she went. She graduated with us, but she ended up moving away. I think she went to study abroad. I remember Monika mentioning something about going to study at Salvato Enterprise, but I don't know what or where that is. She doesn't even have a social media page, so it's not like I can contact Monika and say, "What's up, buttercup?"

...

Yuri's chest got a little bigger. She got a bit taller. Her hair got a bit... longer. Her cute little laugh got a whole lot cuter. She's still the same old Yuri.

I'm still the same old me.

* * * * *

Day -1, 1359

In about one minute, Yuri will be home from work in an hour. Does that make sense? Of course it does. She works a nine-to-five job in an office. I can totally imagine Yuri sitting at a computer, ticking away on a keyboard with one leg crossed over the other. If she wore glasses, that'd complete the office lady look. Yuri doesn't wear glasses. She's really shy around people, so she applied to work in a position that requires absolutely no contact with the public. The only people Yuri talks to are her bosses and her coworkers. And me, but who's counting?

If you're wondering where I work, my job is actually pretty simple. I work at a pet store. I only work part-time, while Yuri works full-time. I feel bad 'cuz I really should be working full-time, too, but all Yuri says to that is, "Huhu, it's okay, Natsuki," in a warm and gentle kind of way, following up with, "As long as we're both working, we'll keep food on the table and a roof over our heads." Our apartment's kind of cheap, so that's nice. Still...

Still...

Yuri needs to relax a bit. She's going to overwork herself if she's not careful, and I don't want to see that happen. Do you know what "karoshi" is? It's a Japanese term that means "death by overwork." If anything bad happened to my Yuri, I'd cry, and I would never stop crying. She's everything to me.

Yuri completes me. That's why... that's why I... I went and bought an engagement ring.

Shhhhh!

YURI MUSTN'T FIND OUT!

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	2. The Rabbit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rabbit must chase the carrot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day -1, 1500

I really need to pay more attention to the clock. I need to pay more attention to Yuri when she talks to me. I don't ignore her, it's actually the opposite. I get distracted by Yuri's beautiful voice and big boobs and... you know. I thought Yuri said she would be home at three o'clock. No, she'll be home at five o'clock. Nine-to-five isn't just an adjective, apparently. Whatever! I've got two hours to think of a way to propose to Yuri. I've got my engagement ring right over...

No, it's...

Wait, wait, wait! No!

No!

Where is it?!

I run to the bathroom and smack the light switch. The bulbs light up and give me sight of the toilet and the tub. No ring in here!

I run to Yuri and I's bedroom. We sleep in the same bed together. Duh, right? I smack that light switch, too, like it stole my lollipop from me. I leap from the doorway all the way across the bedroom, and belly flop on the mattress, which implodes under my weight. I don't weigh that much, but when you get an object that weighs as much as I do and drop it from the air, it's all a matter of physics. Momentum—me—descending through the air, mass times velocity—

...

Screw science, I'm just over-complicating the simple! Long story short, I burrow like a rabbit under the unkempt blanket that lay bunched up on our bed, pawing all over the mattress as I let out panicked, shuddered laughs through my clenched smile. The clock is ticking, Natsuki, where the hell is that ring?! How did you misplace it?! It was RIGHT—FUCKING—THERE!

I think I hear a noise, so I pop my head up out of the mess of a blanket on our bed. Oh, no, did she get home early?

I listen...

...

...

No, that was our neighbor slamming his door. Thank God...

The ring's not in our bedroom, so I high-tail it out of there at break-neck speed and I stop in the kitchen space, my eyes darting all about as I scan the entire kitchen for places I could have clumsily left the ring lying around. Shit! What'd I do with it?! Not there, not here, not over there, not over here, nowhere!

Okay, Natsuki, calm down for a second and think. If I were an engagement ring, where would I be hiding? I purchased it at the store, they put it in a little bag for me, I took the bag out of the store, got in my car, drove... where'd I drive to? Oh, crud! I went to the coffee shop after I got that ring! I couldn't have left it in there!

I run to get my keys, I bolt out of the apartment, I lock our door behind me, and I rush to my car, which is a little white Honda, I get in, pull out of my parking space, and drive as quickly (and safely) as I can to the coffee shop I stopped at earlier today.

I pull into the parking lot and take the next-to-last available space. When I enter the coffee shop, the delicious smell of brewed coffee and lattes and mochas-oh-my pries its way into my nasal cavity. Teenagers and young-to-mid adults are lounging around the shop, either at their own tables or in their comfy leather chairs in the corner. Some of them have laptops, and some of them are chatting with friends. I immediately feel like I'm being watched, but when I look around, nobody's got their eyes on me.

Okay, Natsuki, play it cool. Order something, then pretend to look around at their merchandise. Easy-peasy.

I walk up to the counter, where a cute girl dressed in a coffee shop apron with brown pigtails takes my order. She doesn't look much older than me. I better be careful, or she might steal me from Yuri.

...

Nah, that'll never happen. This girl's probably straight and has a boyfriend. That's okay.

...

Day -1, 1528

This isn't working. Now I really am getting stared at. It's to be expected when you carry a hot coffee with you as you meander aimlessly around an open coffee shop, looking at everyone's tables and checking under chairs. Why the hell would I have even brought the engagement ring in here, anyway? It's not like I would have shown it to anyone or gloated about it. Maybe I was just being overprotective. Yeah, that's it! I was just being overprotective! By three thirty, I'm done with my coffee, so I chuck the empty paper cup into the trash and push my way through the coffee shop's glass door. The cute girl with pigtails thanks me on my way out.

...

Day -1, 1600

As I'm in my car and sitting at a red light, I think to myself, as opposed to thinking to someone else, because I'm not telepathic, maybe I did take the ring into the apartment. I drive back home and turn the entire apartment upside-down. By the time I finish searching the entire place top to bottom, I'd made a mess. I looked at the clock.

...

Day -1, 1650

Shit.

Yuri's gonna be home by five, or maybe five ten. Instead of figuring up the best way to propose to Yuri, I spent all freaking afternoon trying to find that engagement ring. What the hell! That thing cost a lot of money! I need that ring! Gosh darn it!

...

Day -1, 1705

The door is pushed open, and in steps Heaven. Yuri's eyelids are droopy, and she looks like she's packing herself into the apartment. Shit, and this is the first thing she sees: a mess, that I made. Yuri silently walks over to the kitchen counter and places her keys there. She sets her purse down next to her keys and rounds on me, as I'm taking a drink of water from a glass with a shaky hand.

"How was your day, Natsuki?" Yuri asks me in a slow groan that speaks volumes about how her day went in the office.

"It-it was good! Yeah. R-really good. Yep. Mm-hm!" I turn back to the sink and fill my glass with more tapwater, with which I face Yuri again and take another big ol' drink. "Mmmm! This is some good water! Eh-heh... heh..."

"Natsuki...?"

"Nothing's wrong!"

"I wasn't going to ask you that. What's the matter?"

"I've just come down with the jitters, that's all. I had some coffee today, and now I'm going crazy!" I force a laugh. Yuri's making my heart melt with her soft eyes. Oh God, Yuri, you look like you had a rough day. Screw proposing, I'm going to make you feel better. I put my used glass in the sink and walk over to Yuri. I wrap her up in a gentle Natsuki hug, and I cling to her, listening to her heartbeat as she breathes in and out. Her muscles seem to relax when they're in my caress, and she becomes one with me as she wraps her arms around me in return.

"Oh, Natsuki..."

"Want me to give you a massage?"

"I'd... like that... huhu..."

It's okay. I'll find that engagement ring later. I know I didn't lose it, because around the time I remove Yuri's socks for her and give her a nice, gentle massage on her feet, I remember that the last place I saw the ring was in my car. I just have to go search my car really good. That's it. That's all.

For now, I'll just spend some quality time with my future wife. Maybe she'll reward me with kisses if I make her feet feel better.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	3. Mystery Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All's fair in love and war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 0, 0852

It's Saturday. Yaaaaaay.

No work today! If your name is Yuri, that is. Me? I gotta work today. My schedule's got me going in at twelve and getting off at six. I've got... the clock hangs on the wall in perfect view from the breakfast table... about two and a half hours, I think, to think of a way to propose to Yuri.

Speaking of Yuri, she's just now getting out of bed. Yuri audibly draws a sharp breath through her nose as her lungs take in the new morning's air. Her hair is a long purple rat's nest, but she still looks like Heaven to me, even with her pajama bottoms riding low on her curvy hips, letting her buttcrack poke out above the waistband.

"Good morning, sunshine," I say to her.

Yuri and I have this habit of drinking a full glass of water every morning and every night. She silently grabs a glass, holds it under the kitchen faucet, and lets the clean tap fill it to the rim. "G'morning, Natsuki."

"What'cha plan to do today while I'm at work?"

Yuri answers by raising the glass to her sweet lips and drinking all the water down, all in one breath. Yeah, she's skilled like that. After the final gulp, she leaves the empty glass sitting on the counter, about two feet away from her purse and car keys. She comes into the living room, where we set up our dining table at the corner the day we moved in. I'm sitting at the end of the table with the chair facing out. My empty cereal bowl sits there, the only things left over being drops of drying milk here and there, and a few bits of the flakes dotting the sides of the bowl. I'm dressed in a pink t-shirt and kitty-cat panties. Unlike Yuri, who likes to sleep with pajamas on, I love to sleep in underwear. Sometimes we'll sleep naked together, but it's not something we made a habit of.

One could only wish.

The angel of the morning descends down upon me with a gentle laugh that tickles the ears. I gasp, my face getting hot, myself getting... you know, into that kind of mood. It doesn't take much for Yuri to make me want her hard. She may be half-asleep right now, but she knows what she's doing, that sweet bitch. Like they say on the Internet, that escalated quickly. Yuri strategically posts her legs in an upside-down V shape, right above my lap. She puts her hands on my shoulders and sits down, resting the full weight of her warm rump on my bare thighs.

My purple haired angel's hands lovingly find their way to the back of my neck. She's still bigger than me. She's like a gentle giantess, ready to eat me up.

"What's up, Yuri?" I say, my voice aquiver with heightening passion.

"What do I plan to do while you're at work today?" Yuri repeats my earlier question, following it with a little kiss on my lips. I taste her morning breath. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst! "I plan to think of you, Natsuki, my dear." She giggles and plants another one on my lips. "Take that ♥ Huhuhu, for good luck."

I shut my mouth. No need to talk now. I go on the attack and return Yuri's light kisses, right back where I found them: on the angel's divine lips. Time is slowing down as we have a kissing war. My heartbeat gets faster. Yuri's buns are slowly dancing all over my lap. It's a sexy gyration that gets me excited for something a little bit more than kissing.

"You wanna do it now?" I whisper softly into her ear.

"Yes..."

I'll spare you the details. Let's just say, it happened exactly how you imagine it happening. How's that sound? It didn't take more than twenty minutes. Yuri really took me to the stars with her amazing technique, and I pulled her up there along with me. She resisted a little bit, but that just made it more fun for me. By the time we're finished, Yuri and I are laying all over the living room floor, catching our breath. The taste of Yuri still lingers on the tip of my tongue.

"You're so amazing, Natsuki," Yuri coos. With the way we're laying, the tops and sides of Yuri and I's heads are close together, while our bodies lay sprawled (and naked) in near-perfect opposite directions. We've formed a bit of an obtuse angle. Our clothes are laying around the legs of the chair I was sitting in when our wild game of cat-and-mouse started. I was the mouse.

Simultaneously, we both get up off the floor and look each other over. Her naked body versus mine. I want to squeeze her boobs, but we should probably stop now. If we get too carried away, there's no telling what we're gonna do. We might end up destroying our house.

Yeah, we can get pretty rough.

Suddenly, our front door swings open! Yuri and I gasp and cover our chests and crotches in perfect synchronized motion, as we turn our heads to look at the intruder who barged in.

Isn't that...?

"Yuri!"

That's the girl from the coffee shop. The one with brown pigtails. She looks so different when she's dressed in her street clothes.

"Do you mind?!" I shout. Yuri and I turn our bodies sideways to try and further hide ourselves from this mystery girl's eyes. "Ugh! What is WRONG with you?! This isn't your apartment! You can't just come storming in like that!"

"Oh," the girl says, raising her eyebrows at us. Seriously?! "I was just looking for Yuri."

"Well, congrats, you found her! Now get the hell out!"

The girl doesn't listen to me. She actually shuts the door behind her and walks toward us, like there's absolutely nothing wrong with this picture. What the fuck?

"Uu..." Yuri's dips her head, her long bangs hiding her shamed face. "Hi... Megumi..."

"Megumi?" I gasp, looking at Yuri. She's not meeting my eyes. She's not meeting Megumi's eyes. She's not meeting anyone's eyes. Yuri's got that posture, that stance, that expression I know all too well. She's been hiding something from me. To Megumi I say, "Look, can you please just get out of here for five minutes, so Yuri and I can get dressed? You really need to learn how to knock."

"Yuri," Megumi says, completely brushing me off. Okay, fucko, that's how you wanna play? "Why haven't you answered my texts?"

Texts?!

Come to think, I do remember Yuri's phone blowing up every other night. I thought that was just her work friends planning an outing together with her. Sometimes Yuri goes out with work friends and hangs out with them. That's totally cool with me, I actually like her work friends. Yuri took me out with them a couple times, and they're alright. But what the heck is Yuri's relationship with this Megumi chick? That's literally the same freaking girl who sold me that coffee yesterday. The one at the coffee shop...

"Megumi... now's not a good time... uuu... I'm sorry!"

Yuri turns and flees! She runs her naked ass to our bedroom and slams the door.

"Yuri!" I call after her, now completely careless of whether or not Megumi sees my tits or pussy. "You forgot your clothes!"

...

Day 0, 0917

Megumi finally, FINALLY notices me standing there, and the bitch even acts surprised, as if I suddenly appeared out of thin air, or something.

"Yeah," I say smartly, "I'm right here. Remember me? The one who's been telling you to get out of here and wait till we get dressed?"

"Who on earth are you?" Megumi has the gall to ask me.

"Kh--! I should be asking you the same thing! Grrrrr...!"

"I'm Megumi."

...

"Okay?" I say. "You're not doing that get-out-of-here thing."

"You're cute," Megumi says.

"Leave!"

"You're hot..."

"Get out!"

"You're so sexy!"

"Get—the—fuck—"

Suddenly, Megumi digs something out of her pocket.

I gasp.

Is that...?

No...

Megumi holds up the one thing I'd spent so much time looking for.

"Do you think Yuri will like this ring?"

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	4. Megumi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A challenger approaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 0, 0925

Goddamnit.

Megumi's not leaving.

When I put my clothes on, I can't keep myself from being extra forceful in handling them. Megumi's pissing me off so bad that my anger's bleeding through my sense of reason and rationality. What the hell is wrong with this girl? It's like she has no sense of... of order! If she was a D&D character, she'd be one hundred percent Chaotic Evil.

You know how I know?

Just when I finish putting my clothes back on, which isn't much, considering it's what I slept in, Megumi walks up to me and—

"What's your name?"

—she asks me my name, while invading my personal bubble at the same time.

"My name is none of your fucking business."

"Hi, None Of Your Fucking Business."

"Kh...!" I... walked into that one. "I'm Natsuki. Just call me Natsuki."

As Megumi stands there, staring emptily into my soul, I hear something gross.

"I farted," Megumi says neutrally.

The smell of it hits my nose, and no sooner than that is when I take both my hands and lay them into Megumi's shoulders. For such a small girl, I'm kind of strong. I just now learned that! Maybe it's my pent-up anger at Megumi, or maybe it's the thought that Yuri and Megumi may or may not have fooled around behind my back. Whatever it is, it gave me the power to shove Megumi so hard that the ditz can't catch her own weight in time, and she ends up taking a backward dive to the floor. The sound of her body hitting the floor might've disturbed the neighbors, but I don't give a shit.

Our bedroom door opens, and Yuri comes sneaking out to see what's going on. She's still naked, and she's hiding around the edge of the wall.

Megumi sits up like nothing happened. What the hell is she, a robot? "Nice push," she says to me.

"Thanks! There's plenty more where that came from!"

Megumi crawls back to her feet with the fluidity of someone who's used to falling down and getting back up, and dusts off her clothes. If you're wondering, she's dressed kind of drab. Sweater. Old pants. No sense of fashion. Admittably kind of charming in its own weird way. "Do you practice martial arts?"

"Yeah! I'm a master of kick-your-ass. Heard of it?"

Megumi begins to come toward me. "When I was a little girl, my parents enrolled me into a jiu-jitsu academy."

Uh...

"I love jiu-jitsu so much. It's just so fun! They call it the Gentle Art, you know..."

She's coming closer.

"I rose through the ranks, until I finally earned my black belt in 2018."

Now she's close enough to touch me.

"You should enroll," Megumi says to me. "I like your spunk. You'd be a great jiu-jitsu student."

"So what're you gonna do now? Use your jiu-jitsu on me?!" I shout in her face, trying to make myself bigger than I actually am.

"Heavens, no." Megumi puts one hand on my shoulder, and I expect her to do some weird grapple move... but nothing happens. "I'm sorry. I should have been more careful."

Megumi takes her hand off my shoulder, turns her back on me, and walks out.

"Geez. Good riddance," I say. But then— "Wait! She still has my ring!"

"Ring?" Yuri says quietly.

"Yeah!" Wait— "I mean, no! Not MY ring, it's—more like a—um—it's for a D&D club I just joined!"

"You joined a D&D club...?" Yuri says, still hiding her naked, beautiful body around the edge of the wall.

"Y-yeah! Totally!"

"I knew you liked anime and cute things, but I never knew you were into that kind of stuff..."

"What's wrong with Dungeons and Dragons?!"

"Nothing! Huhuhu."

I better address the elephant in the room. "Who the hell is Megumi, and what's your relationship to her?"

"Uuu... it's complicated..."

"Yuri?" I say warningly.

"I'm sorry... she's... a friend..."

Damn it. I need to get a hold of Yuri's phone and check their text messages. It's not like I'm jealous or anything! Shut up! I am not!

"Ugh, whatever. I'll be right back."

I hurry to our bedroom and throw on a pair of sweatpants, before slipping my shoes on.

...

Day 0, 0945

"Megumi!"

I'm outside, running across our parking lot. I'm chasing down Megumi, whose stride is thankfully slow and leisurely. When Megumi hears my voice, she stops, but she doesn't turn around. I trot to a halt behind her, panting.

I say, "The ring, Megumi. I want my ring back."

She digs my ring out of her pocket and eyes me over her shoulder. "You mean this?"

"Yeah!"

"No."

"Gh... Where the hell did you find that ring, anyway?"

"In your car," Megumi says, like it's obvious. She turns around and faces me.

Beside myself with incredulity, I burst, "You broke into my car?!"

"No." Megumi closes her fist around the stolen ring. "I knew it was your car, so I opened up the door and took the ring."

"Th-that's still a crime! You'll go to jail, Megumi!"

"You only live once," Megumi says. "What's important in life is to let your whimsy fly."

"Don't fucking lecture me, you thief! Hand it over, or I'm calling the cops!"

"Do you like poetry?"

"I'm not playing, Megumi!"

"I like poetry..."

I forget myself and try to grab Megumi by the front of her sweater. Well, there's no try about it. I actually do grab her by the sweater. I try to jostle her a bit, but she stays planted, just like a freaking boulder. She doesn't even look that heavy! But she feels like she weighs, like, four hundred pounds. I'd forgotten what she said in the apartment—"I got my black belt in 2018."

I release her sweater and pull my hands back as if she were a scalding pot. "Sorry," I mutter.

"Interesting. Here." Just like that, Megumi hands the ring back to me. I hold out my palm, and she puts the ring inside it.

"Just like that?" I say, eyeing Megumi closely. What's she up to?

"Like I said, you only live once, Natsuki. It's important to—"

"—let your whimsy fly," I say. "Wait a minute! No! You still broke into my car!"

Megumi turns around and walks away. "No I didn't," she sings back. "See you at the academy, Natuski. Looking forward to rolling with you."

...

Day 0, 1128

Long story short, I successfully hid the engagement ring away. That Megumi's gonna be a huge problem. I need to figure out what she and Yuri are doing behind my back, if anything at all. I can't do that right now, because I have to get ready for work. I didn't ferret anything out of Yuri, but I'm not gonna let this discolor my love for my one true dearest.

Yuri loves me.

...Right?

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	5. Whimsy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's important in life is to let your whimsy fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 1, 0008

I have officially decided to take up jiu-jitsu.

I decided that just now, at 12:08 am, as I'm laying here next to Yuri in our bed. Good thing I went pee before I came to bed, because it really sucks to wake her up in the middle of the night. I mean, it sucks for her, not for me. She needs her sleep, y'know? Plus, I know something you don't know about Yuri. Hehehe... When Yuri didn't have me around, she had to sleep with stuffed animals. She needed something to cling to as she slept. What the hell do you mean, you'd have expected that of me? How's my telepathy? Did I read your mind?

...

Anyway, now that I'm here in Yuri's life, she needs me every night, and you can bet your ass I'll be there for her. I can't say it enough: I love my Yuri. I love her through the good times and the bad. We have our arguments, but we really work at our relationship. It's worth it. She's worth it. Yuri clings to me when she sleeps. I don't mind. In fact, I love it. I love it when I get stuck between Yuri and the bedroom wall. Like tonight. I'm all cuddled up next to Yuri, and my back's getting pressed against our wall. I love the way she smells. I love the way she... breathes... all over my head... I'm getting hot again, but I need to keep my cool. No sex right now. She needs to sleep. I need to sleep.

Okay, I cheated. While Yuri sleeps, I pleasure myself, careful not to wake her up. What? I couldn't help it. I just had to. It helps me go to sleep. Good night, Yuri, I bid her, as I slip my arm over her waist. She's clinging to me, I'm gonna cling to her.

I drift off.

...

...

...

Day 1, 0910

Whodafish?

I drooled all over the pillow. Cold grey sunlight has lit our bedroom, even though the curtain's pulled and the shades are closed. The smell of breakfast taunts me right out of bed. You'd think Yuri would be a heavy sleeper, but she isn't. Me, on the other hand? I'm a heavy sleeper. Okay, whatever, that doesn't matter. What DOES matter is that I'm going to take up jiu-jitsu.

Why, you might ask?

Because I'm going to teach Megumi a lesson, of course! And you can't talk me out of it. The next time I see Megumi, we're gonna have ourselves a nice little bout. There's no way I'm letting her have...

Shit, that's right, I still gotta propose to Yuri. Could I do it today? No, it's not time yet. I'm not prepared. My proposal's gotta be meaningful. First, I need to deal with Megumi. Then I'll propose.

...

Day 1, 1023

Breakfast is stashed inside me, and my endorphines are alive and kicking. Yuri's sitting on the loveseat, sifting through social media on her phone. Today's Sunday, so she doesn't have to work today, either. Unlike me, Yuri gets every Saturday and Sunday off. My work schedule varies. I have today off, too, so I'm going to use this time to get myself signed up.

"Hey, Yuri, I'm going to run to the store. Need anything?"

The purple haired angel flicks her purple pools of beauty toward me and smiles. "No, I'm okay. See you when you get back, Natsuki."

"See ya!"

I'm keeping the engagement ring hidden on my person. I took a shower after I ate breakfast, so now my hair's damp and smells like wild fruit shampoo, and I'm dressed in a pink and white hoodie and... sweatpants.

I have a lot of sweatpants. They're comfy. I've got thin sweatpants, and thick sweatpants. The ones I'm wearing right now are thick, because it's a little bit chilly outside.

I exit the apartment, car keys jangling in my hand. Before I climb into my car, I walk a lap around it, peering inside every window to make sure that Megumi didn't show up in the middle of the night and steal anything. I must've forgotten to lock my car when she came here yesterday. Rather than get the police involved (since she kinda did give the stolen property back to me), I'm gonna play her game. She's clearly looking for a fight.

I drive out to an academy I found online, called Rising Sun Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Wow, kind of a generic name, don't you think? Whoever thought of it must not have been too creative. That's okay, though, because it looks like the academy's open. I started to wonder if it would be when I was still only halfway here.

I hope this isn't the one Megumi attends.

I pull open the decorated glass door and enter a warm, musty smelling studio. The air is thick with the aura of body odor. The first thing that catches my attention is the abnormal number of people out on the shiny blue-and-white mat. They're all either paired off or grouped up and taking turns wrestling with each other. Not everyone's dressed in a gi.

A female voice calls to me through the half-open door to what I guess is the office, inviting me to come in. The person sitting (or standing!) in there is out of sight; only the office light is spilling out through the gap. I nervously chew on the inside of my cheek as I nudge my way through the open door.

The girl in there is... amazingly not that old. To be honest, I expected to see an old dude sitting on the other side of the desk, but instead it's a twenty-something looking girl with medium red hair and dark eyes. Holy shit, she's shorter than I am. That's unbelievable. The girl stands up and bows to me, and I bow in return. She sits back down, and I take a seat in the chair opposite her.

"My name's Tomoko," the girl says. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The way Tomoko says pleasure gives me a sense that she might be a party animal. It sounded more like "pleasyah." Super confident. Unshakeable resolve. Naturally fitting for someone wearing a clean white gi and a black belt around her waist.

I introduce myself. "My name is Natsuki. I'm not gonna beat around the bush here, I wanna start learning jiu-jitsu. Can you teach me?"

"Sh'yeah! You bet I can! That's what I'm here for, Natz."

"Natz?" Natz...? Nats? Nuts? Natzi? Oh, that was a bad one, forget I said that. We've just met, and she's already talking to me with the familiarity of a friend! I don't know what I think of this girl yet, but I'm kinda verging on the side of trusting her.

"I can tell you're one hundred percent willing to get down and roll with us. I see it in your eyes, Natz. Before we start talking business, can I get you to tell me why exactly you want to learn jiu-jitsu?"

Oof. Right to the point, huh? I wish I could pass on this question.

"Now you're wavering," Tomoko points out, as she literally points an L-shaped finger gun at me. "Okay, lemme dial it back a bit. I might be coming on a little too strong."

Thanks, I want to say, but I keep my mouth shut. Tomoko decides to start all over.

"Good afternoon, my name is Tomoko, and I'm interested in... something-something-something. I can't really get this whole script thing down, so I'm gonna talk to you like normal, 'kay?"

"S-sure," I reply, as my armpits start to sweat. Hoo boy, I'm getting really nervous now.

"So tell me: why do you wanna learn jiu-jitsu?"

"I wanna..."

What am I going to say?"

"You wanna...?" Tomoko prompts me with a raise of her eyebrows. She's kind of cute, but don't tell Yuri I said that. That hair of hers is neon red. That can't be dye, can it? If that's her natural hair color, then dayumn!

"There's someone I wanna protect my g—significant other from."

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah!"

"Just say it out loud, Natz. I ain't gonna judge you. We don't judge here, not in my school."

"This is... your school?"

"Hell to the yeah, Natz, I own this building. I'm top dawg here. Gimme one sec, 'kay?"

Tomoko stands up and moves past me, leaving her office. Outside the door, I can hear her telling everyone in the studio, "Open mat's closing in ten minutes, y'all! Start wrapping up!"

"Hai, sensei!" some of the older students belt out in response.

"Sorry about that," Tomoko says, settling back into her seat. "So there's someone you wanna protect your girlfriend from? Who is this person?"

"Her name's Megumi."

A light of understanding crosses Tomoko's features. "Aaaaaahhhhh, Megumi... Let me guess, she's trying to steal your girlfriend from you?"

"How'd you know?!"

"Natz, you're looking at Megumi's former sparring partner. She used to be my girlfriend, but we broke up. I'm outta luck, Natz. At least it's fun to roll with her out at the Rolling Hills."

"I want to protect Yuri from Megumi," I say, as my cheeks start to color. Why am I blushing?

"Waaaiiiiit a minute. Are you saying you wanna... roll with Megumi?"

"What's that mean?" I feel so stupid right now.

"Roll. That's our lingo for sparring. We roll, meaning we partner up and attempt to submit each other."

"Y-yeah?"

"Hoo boy," Tomoko sighs, scratching the back of her head. "Look. Natz. I like you already and everything, but I think you know as well as I that you won't be able to beat her. Even if I trained you for one week, one month, or even a year. Megumi has been doing this her whole life. So have I. And the last few times we rolled, she beat me. I only managed to sub her once.

"You're lucky it's Megumi, though. Megumi is... the gentlest, kindest person you'll ever meet."

"She freaking stole my engagement ring outta my car!"

Tomoko just laughs at that. "Yeah, she does weird things. I promise, she wasn't being nefarious. She gave it back to you, right?"

"Yeah."

"Don't take it too harshly. Well, maybe you will, if she's trying to steal your sweetheart, but if you and this Yuri person love each other truly, Megumi'll never be able to sink her hooks in." Tomoko eyes me critically. "You're not swayed, are ya? You really wanna take Megumi on?"

"Yeah." What the hell am I saying?! Megumi probably WILL thrash me. I know I'm not going to win, but I still want to prove something to her. I'm willing to fight for Yuri, and if I have to fight Megumi, I freaking will.

Tomoko grins at me. "Alright, Natz. You free tomorrow?"

"I work. Get off at six."

"Perfect. Your first class will be at seven. I'll have a spare gi ready for ya. I really wanna see you roll with Megumi."

And that's that. I stand up, we bow to each other, and I head back home.

...

Day 1, 1201

As soon as I drive back and park in my parking space, I notice that Yuri's car is gone. Maybe she went to the store.

...

Day 1, 1300

No Yuri.

...

Day 1, 1400

Where the hell is she?

...

Day 1, 1500

Okay, this is scaring the hell out of me. I tried calling her, but she's not answering. I tried sending texts, but she's not responding. She's either ignoring my calls, or her phone's off, or... or... no, that's all it could be. It's not like we're in a horror movie, or anything.

Tomorrow night, it begins.

I'm coming for ya, Megumi.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	6. Ghost Under the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The deepest cuts are healed by faith."  
> -Pat Benatar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 2, 0010

Two things: one, Yuri finally came home yesterday around seven o'clock, and she was covered in sweat; two, she wouldn't tell me where the heck she went! I bet she was with that Megumi chick. I bet you ANYTHING she was with Megumi. Well, I'm just gonna have to show Yuri that I love her more. As soon as she comes to bed, where I pretend I'm sleeping, I wait until Yuri gets under the covers with me. I open my eyes and flex my fingers like claws as I let out a playful "Rawr!" and start tickling Yuri all over.

"Huhuhuheheheha! Oh, my! Natsukihihihi ha ha! What's gotten into you ha ha ha! Oh! Goodness! Not there!"

Her laugh certainly is infectious! I laugh along with her. "Take that, Yuri! Remember that time you tickled me nearly to death?" I mimic the laughter of a mad doctor.

Yuri squirms cutely all over the mattress like a fish pulled fresh from the water. I climb aboard her and mount upon her belly like a horse. She's really sensitive in her armpits. Just the two of us here, and no one to stop us. Me in my panties and bra, and her in her pajama bottoms and loose t-shirt.

"Where ya been all day? Talk!" I say with a grin, attacking my dearest's armpits.

"Ohhhhh hohohoho, nohohoho! Natsuki, please! Ha ha ha! Stop! Ha ha ha!"

"T e l l m e w h e r e y o u w e n t a l l d a y . . ."

"I cahahahan't tell you! Ha ha! No! Not my ribs, noooo! Ha ha ha!" She laughs hysterically and whines and gasps for air and laughs again. I could do this all night, but I'm feeling pretty merciful. I give Yuri a break. Her big boobs rise up and down with every gasp. "Oh goodness. That was... whew! You know how to get me going, Natsuki."

"Heh heh, I know. But seriously, you can't tell me where you've been? I tried calling and texting you. Is anything wrong?"

"No," she says. "I just wanted to take some time away from home, is all. I was feeling pretty adventurous."

"Oh, is that it? Well, why didn't ya tell me!" I start to tickle Yuri again, but a few seconds later I roll off of her and fall to my back, between my love and the bedroom wall.

Yuri rolls over and pins me to the mattress. She gives me an Eskimo kiss and says, "Because you're a naughty girl, Natsuki. Huhuhu..."

What a way to end the night. I hope I didn't rob Yuri of too much sleep. We screw like a pair of rabbits in heat until the wee morning hours. We both have to work tomorrow, so our apartment's gonna be unattended for a good portion of the day.

Still, something bothers me as I lay there, nestled in Yuri's arms, waiting to fall asleep. If she was really with Megumi, does that mean her love for me is starting to wane? God, I hope not. I don't know what I'm gonna do if Yuri ends up leaving me. I need to give her that ring soon, but I wanna do it in a special way. I need to hold on to the faith that she and Megumi aren't fooling around when I'm not looking.

I gotta tell Megumi off somehow.

...

Day 2, 0938

I wake up in a bed without Yuri. Checking the digital clock on the table beside our bed, I realize it's time for me to get up and start doing things around the apartment. Yuri got up without waking me, so she's at work right now. Awesome! I can't wait till I get to spend time with all the cute, fluffy-wuffy animals today.

...

...

...

I decide that the kitchen floor is dirty, so I break out the good scented chemicals, the bucket, and the mop, and I make that floor shiny.

...

...

...

Uh-oh, the bathroom needs cleaned. Better get that bleach and toilet brush!

...

...

...

Wow, who let Spiderman into the house? I learned that one from YouTube. Sometimes I like to watch comedians in between watching AMVs, and there's a YouTuber named Ja... Jaboo T? Jabo0dy? Something like that. I can speak, read and write English, but sometimes I need to look at a reference sheet. Anyway, this living room is dusty! Better get that done.

...

...

...

I'm such a busy bee! Gotta do housework to keep myself from feeling... lonely...

...

...

...

Why do I feel so blue? Yuri and I had a hot night last night. We said our I-love-yous before we went to sleep. Why is Megumi around? Why is Yuri suddenly being all secretive and shit? I don't like this.

...

Day 2, 1100

I just took a shower and had breakfast. Now it's time to wait. Tonight will be my first night at Rising Sun Academy. I'll be ready to face Megumi in no time. I just gotta go to work first. Sorry, Yuri, but this time I'll be the one going missing.

...

Day 2, 1850

Six fifty in the evening. I haven't gone home. I hope Yuri's not worried about me. I'm sitting in the waiting room at Rising Sun Jiu-Jitsu Academy, watching students of nearly all ages file in and give Tomoko their hellos.

Tomoko, that red-haired dwarf-maiden, is as robust as ever. For such a slender little gal, she's kinda packing a bit of extra weight, if ya know what I mean. Even with her gi on, I can just barely see a bit of extra shape to her chest. That means she's got big boobs. Damn it, why does everyone have bigger boobs than me?! Good thing I like boobs, or I'd be even more ticked about it than I am.

...

Day 2, 1900

It's time.

"Hey, Natz!" Tomoko's students are forming a line along the front wall inside the studio when she comes into the waiting area, holding a folded gi top and pants in her hand. "Get changed. I'll show ya how to put the belt on." The gi looks like it comes with a white belt. "We'll wait for ya, don't worry. Just take your time changing. Anyone complains, I'll make 'em do push ups."

As I stand up and accept the gi offered to me, I mindlessly blurt out the question I've been wanting to ask. "How old are you, Tomoko?"

"Twenty-five. Megumi's also twenty-five."

"Holy shit, really? You guys look so young!"

"Thanks, Natz. By the way, there's no cussing allowed in my dojo. Every time you cuss, you do push ups. I'll let this one slide, since you're new." Tomoko grins at me. "Go get changed."

...

My first class was fruitful. I feel like I learned a lot of important stuff in just one hour. Between Tomoko showing me how to put my belt on and making a guy named Tetsuya do push ups because he jokingly said "Fuck you" to his partner, I got paired up with some middle-aged woman who wore a yellow belt. I asked her what level yellow was. Apparently she's at the very end of the beginner level; she started off as a white belt, like me, and went through orange and orange with a black stripe to get to yellow. Tomoko and her assistants, none of whom I remember the names of, took care of me. Apparently I'm the first new student they had in about two months.

They love their new students.

They just want me to stay so I can pay them more money.

I'm really enjoying this, so I just might.

Although now I'm starting to get a good perspective of my level versus Megumi's level. At the end of class, Tomoko let us roll with our partners. This yellow belt lady was going easy on me, and I couldn't get one single advantageous position on her! Meanwhile she was submitting me by locking up my arms, my neck, my legs, you name it.

And I'm gonna fight a black belt?

I must be suicidal.

But I need to. I'm not doing it to win. I'm doing it to show Megumi I'll never let Yuri go, not without a fight.

I can do this.

...

Day 2, 2028

"I'm home!"

On the loveseat sits Yuri, who quickly hides her phone the second I walk in.

Oh. I get it.

"Hi, Natsuki!" she says.

I just walk past her and go take a shower.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	7. How Dare You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first step is always the most difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 6, 1838

It's been nearly a whole work week since my first class with Tomoko. I've been going to her academy every night since then. Now it's Friday, and I've just gotten home from work. Unfortunately there's no class for me on Friday nights, because that time block is reserved for advanced students. She told me I could go if I wanted, but I chose not to go, thinking I might get confused if I start seeing stuff way beyond my level.

Yuri is, yet again, not waiting for me at home like she used to. I sigh. She's got to be out seeing Megumi. For Christ's sake, just the thought of that is driving me crazy! I want to get on my phone and text her, but it'll be just like every time before. She won't answer.

Whatever. I'm not gonna be the suspicious lover that grills her girlfriend every time she comes home. I'm better than that. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Maybe Megumi's just Yuri's new best friend. If that's the case, then I'm totally fine with them hanging out. Yuri could use a best friend (who's not me). I think Tomoko might become my bestie in the future, when I get as good as her.

If I get as good.

I get up to go have my usual nightly glass of water, when I see something weird laying on the kitchen counter. As I reach for the cupboard, my hand freezes halfway. I'm reading a piece of paper with a pretty scrawl etched upon it, not by my hand, and definitely not by Yuri's.

It's totally a poem.

The title of the poetry sits at the top of the page. It's called "Meteorite."

Do you believe in shooting stars?  
Through the dark, it's who you are.  
When midnight eyes don't see the same,  
It's in the dark you learn your name.

Do you see me through the glass?  
The one who stands out in the grass.  
I'll bring you love and bear no shame,  
Can your beloved say the same?

What the fuck? Who the hell wrote this? Unless it's...

No...

My first urge is to snatch the poem up and rip it to shreds. Did Yuri mean to hide it from me? Or did she mean to let me see it? Come the hell on, Megumi's writing you poetry now?! Damn it, Yuri, what aren't you telling me...?

Wait, Natsuki, I tell myself. I gotta play this cool. I can't let myself get carried away. Maybe there's more to this than I can yet see. Maybe nothing's going on.

My heart is going doki-doki, but not in a good way. I've decided that I'm not going to wait any longer. Instead of grabbing the empty glass and filling it with water from the kitchen faucet, I go and get my keys again, and I lock up the apartment before I head out to my car.

...

Day 6, 1851

I'm back at the coffee shop. I find the person I hoped I'd find, standing behind the counter. It's Megumi, wearing her brown hair in the same pigtails as the last time I saw her. I walk up to the counter and call her out.

"Megumi," I say. "I challenge you."

The girl on the other side of the counter smiles apologetically.

It was at this moment I knew... I'd fucked up.

"Sorry," the girl says with a voice COMPLETELY MISMATCHING Megumi's. "You must be looking for my sister. It's not the first time I was mistaken for the great Megumi, don't worry. You'll find Megumi at her school, Sunset Jiu-Jitsu Academy." She tells me what street the school's on.

I'm humiliated. No, more like... humiliated plus surprised. A humiliated plus surprised Natsuki equals me standing there, looking like a total dumbass in front of the people lining up behind me to order coffee.

It's a simple thing to LOOK AT THE DAMN NAME TAG! Why am I so stupid...?

"Th-thanks... Yumi..."

That's Megumi's sister's name: Yumi. They're twins.

Fucking twins.

Twin fucking sisters.

GOD I feel so stupid!

I bow deeply in apology and preserve what's left of my pride by walking out of there as quickly as I could, without drawing anymore attention to myself.

...

Day 6, 1908

Sunset Jiu-Jitsu Academy. It's just as big as Tomoko's school. Only difference I see so far, as I settle my car into a parking space, is that the parking lot is a bit roomier.

As I get out of my car and lock it up, something catches my eye as I'm walking toward the school's main door.

It's a nightmare come true.

I see Yuri's car. She drives a blue Nissan. That's her license plate... that's her car... she's here...

I walk in...

There, among the jiu-jitsu students drilling techniques with partners out on the red and white studio mat, Yuri is dressed in a white gi, with a white belt around her waist, and she's laying on her back. Her legs are wrapped around the big, fat body of a foreign guy who's wearing a purple belt. He looks like he's instructing Yuri; I can't hear what he's saying, and Yuri doesn't know I'm here, because she's facing away from the office.

"Natsuki," croons the beautiful Megumi, posting herself in the open doorway to her office, with one ankle crossed over the other as she rests her hands on the door frame to keep herself steady. She looks good in that white gi... and that black belt around her waist...

I gulp.

Megumi cants her head toward me, smiling.

My mouth goes dry.

"I... ch..."

"Hm?"

"I ch... challenge you... Megumi..."

"You challenge me? To what?"

Oh my God, why am I afraid of her?! Get it together, Natsuki! She's stealing your girlfriend! Focus!

"I challenge you... to... a roll!"

...

Megumi cants her head the other way and giggles softly behind closed lips. "Okay, when?"

"Tomorrow," I whisper, making sure to duck out of sight so Yuri doesn't turn around and see me. "We roll tomorrow."

"Interesting. Let's see, let's see. Bring your teacher with you."

"You know about—"

"Tomoko? Oh, yes. Tomoko emailed me this week, telling me to expect a challenge from you. And, well, here you are."

Damn that Tomoko! What the hell!

"Moreover, Natsuki, did you like my poem? I called it 'Meteorite.'"

I grit my teeth and hiss quietly, "So you DID write that poem!"

"I wrote it for Yuri. She enjoyed it... very much. She said it reminded her of a certain someone."

Oh, that's it. Just to make sure she knows I mean business, I repeat my challenge to Megumi.

"Megumi," I say, poking her in the boob with the tip of my finger. So soft. "You. Me. Tomorrow. We roll. Right here. In your own school."

"I can't wait," Megumi replies, smiling so broadly that it makes her eyes squint. "We're going to have fun, Natsuki. And you're going to learn what it means to be a jiu-jitsu student. Congratulations on joining Tomoko's school, by the way ♥ You're in good hands. Tomoko is a good girl."

Then why the fuck did you break up with her and start chasing my Yuri? ...is what I want to say, but I'm already walking out the door. Yuri still didn't see me. Good.

...

Day 6, 1915

I reflect on what I saw as I'm driving home.

At least now I know where Yuri's been disappearing to. Why'd she keep it secret from me? ...Maybe the same reason I kept my attending Rising Sun Academy secret from her?

If she'd have just told me that she was doing jiu-jitsu, this all would've been so much easier. Geez.

I feel like I sealed my own fate. Megumi was oddly chipper about getting challenged to a match in her own school. I'll have to let Tomoko know about tomorrow.

...Or not. As soon as I get home and climb out of my car, I get a text message on my phone from Tomoko. She knows my phone number because I wrote it down as my mode of contact when I signed up to start at her academy.

Tomoko's text message reads:

hai thar Natz i heard u challenged Megumi thats awesome be sure to show up at her school at 12 tomorrow ill be there

Have you ever heard of grammar, Tomoko? Or punctuation?

What the heck? Do Tomoko and Megumi chat on a regular basis, or something? I thought they were supposed to be enemies. Bitter rivals! If they both own separate schools, and they broke up, doesn't that mean they're against each other? Why do they seem like they're buddy-buddy?

I didn't know the answers to these questions at the time I went back into my apartment.

I was about to find out the answer to them the next day.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	8. Final Boss?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsuki has ascended to the Final Boss?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling HIlls, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 7, 1156

Four minutes left before Megumi and I's match, and Megumi's the only one who hasn't shown up. Tomoko, Yuri, and myself are all standing outside the door of Sunset Jiu-Jitsu Academy. There's an open mat block scheduld for today, according to Tomoko. It'll be at two o'clock. We've got the next two hours or so to ourselves. Tomoko told me to have my gi and belt on before showing up here, so that's what I did. Yuri and Tomoko are dressed in their street clothes.

Yuri got nice and dressed up... in a pair of black spandex pants and a purple and white tye-dye t-shirt. Damn, I like the shape of her butt in those pants. Did she dress up for Megumi, or me...?

Finally, a silver Subaru rolls up and takes the parking space closest to the door. The driver side door swings open and out steps Megumi, all dressed up in... you guessed it... a freshly laundered gi, and her black belt hanging around her neck. Her brown hair is done up into pigtails, as usual.

Yuri makes a little sound when Megumi walks up. I glance at her. Her face is turning pink. Great! That just adds fuel to the fire! I'm gonna have to fight extra hard if I wanna keep Yuri for myself.

This is my final boss, standing before us. She shows us her school key with a smile. "Hi, Tomoko. Hi, Yuri ♥."

What, no hello for me? Bitch.

Yuri: "Uuu... hi."

Tomoko: "'Sup, gorgeous? You gonna have some fun today?"

"You know it," Megumi chirps, stifling a giggle behind her fingers.

So cute...

Wah! What am I saying! She's the enemy! The ENEMY! Get it together, Natsuki, don't let this succubus' charm sway you.

...

Day 7, 1205

We're in the studio. Tomoko and Yuri are sitting next to each other on the floor against the wall. Megumi sets to work turning on the lights in her school, walking around everywhere to run a quick maintenance on everything, I guess. It must be a lot of work running your own school. On one hand, I feel bad for Tomoko and Megumi for having to put up with it. But, they did choose their paths in life.

As Megumi's walking around, she tells me, "Natsuki, go ahead and do a light jog around the studio. Run about... mmmmmm, seven laps. Get your blood flowing a bit. After that, I want you to stretch."

What is she, my teacher? I mean, she's technically a teacher. Should I be taking orders from Tomoko's rival? I look over at Tomoko, who grins at me and says, "Well, get to it, Natz! It's okay."

"Go for it, Natsuki," Yuri says softly.

Oh, kickass! She's cheering me on, I think! That's all the encouragement I need!

I put in a bit of extra effort as I run my laps around the studio. On about the fourth lap I can hear Tomoko hollering, "Don't wear yourself out before the match, Natz! Sloooowwwww doooowwwwwn!"

Shit, she's right. I got too excited. I slow down and finish my run. Next, I plant my butt down on the soft red and white mat, and stretch my legs.

Megumi comes out from the back of the school, where the fuse box must be hiding, and issues more instructions to me on her way to the office. "I'm almost ready. I want you to stretch your arms, too. Get your whole body limber. If you pull anything, that will be no bueno."

As I'm stretching, I've got Tomoko coaching me.

"'Kay, Natz, here's what you need to keep in mind: you're not going to beat Megumi, so don't focus on trying to one-up her. What Megumi's looking for is effort and self-control. She wants to see skill, so give her what I spent the last week teaching you. When you roll with an advanced rank, you set the pace. Next, don't do anything that'll piss her off. You'll be able to tell if she's pissed off by a little noise she makes. It sounds like—" And Tomoko tucks her bottom lip under her teeth, like she's gonna say a word that starts with F, but she blows air. Fffffff. "If Megumi starts doing that, it means she's pissed off, and she's probably gonna put the hurtin' on ya."

"Okay, so, how the hell do I not piss her off?"

"Dunno. She gets pissed off at random."

"Awesome! Thanks for the advice!" I say, rolling my eyes.

Tomoko grins and gives me a thumbs-up. "No prob, Natz. Got anything for her, Yuri? Your name's Yuri, right?"

"Yes," Yuri says. "You don't have to push yourself so hard, Natsuki."

Yuri says something else, but she says it too quietly, and Megumi comes walking into the studio and says something to me at the exact same moment, so I miss Yuri's last set of words.

"How do you want to start our round?" Megumi asks me. "Do you want us to start off standing up? Or down on our knees?"

Well, if we start on our knees, that minimizes the risk of Megumi slamming me to the ground. "On our knees, please."

"Oh, hey, I got an idea." Tomoko stands up and kicks off her shoes. There's a little bit of space between the mat and the wall, where there's just carpet. Tomoko steps onto the mat in her socks. "I'll be the referee. How's that sound, Megumi?"

"Heavenly, Tomoko. Heavenly ♥"

Time to address another elephant in the room. I blurt, "Wait, weren't you two, like, enemies, or something?"

Megumi's smile falters. "What do you mean?"

Tomoko bursts out laughing.

"Kh...! N-nothing!" Geez, Tomoko didn't have to go and laugh at me.

Megumi's smile comes back. She's really starting to remind me of a certain someone. Okay, I'll just say it—she reminds me of Monika, somehow. Before I think to ask if she has any relatives by that name, Megumi speaks up. "Let's go down to our knees now. Easy does it, don't drop all your weight on them, even if it is a soft mat. It'll make your knees go bad in the long run. There you go, that's it ♥

"Next, put your hand on the outside of my arm. Like that, yes. Now put your other hand here. There you go. And I'll put my hands here, like so. Well. Let's go. On Tomoko's mark, of course." She smiles up at Tomoko, who's standing over us.

Tomoko sticks her hand between our faces. "Ready...?" Then she lifts her hand. "Begin!"

Where'd my knees go!

Holy shit I'm falling!

Ouch, that... didn't hurt at all, actually!

Megumi's on my back!

I can't breathe!

And all of a sudden, I'm slapping my hand down on the mat desperately.

Tomoko yells, "Up!"

Megumi releases the choke hold she'd put on me. It only took, like, five seconds for Megumi to get me from my knees to pinning me belly-down on the mat.

I push myself up to my all-fours and burst, "What the hell just happened?!"

"Sorry ♥" giggles Megumi. "I wanted to try something. That didn't count. Let's go for real now."

For real? That WAS for real, you crazy bitch!

"Grr...!" I can't help but feel like I'm being humiliated. In front of Yuri, no less! No, keep it together, Natsuki. This is what you wanted. "Again!"

"That's the spirit, Natz!" Tomoko says. "Back to the starting position, both of ya!"

Me 'n Megumi, sittin' on our knees. G-r-a-pp-li-n-g. First comes "Begin!" then comes my-knees-getting-sweeped-out-from-under-me, then comes a Natsuki slapping the mat like crazy. That's not all, that's not all, Megumi was giving me a slap on the butt.

"Hey now," Tomoko says, after calling 'Up!' for the second time. "What was that, Megumi?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Her tushy looked so inviting, I just had to—"

"Nevermind, forget I asked," Tomoko groans. "Jesus Christ, maybe I shouldn't have come. If you're just gonna grope other girls right in front of me."

"Awww, jealous?"

"Yeah, totes. Back to the start, both of ya! You okay, Natz?"

"I'm fine," I grumble, avoiding eye-contact. Fucking Megumimmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

I liked it when she spanked me, but I'm doing my best not to show it. This is for Yuri. For Yuri! I can't even look at Yuri right now. Sorry, Yuri.

Megumi and I get back down to the starting position. On our knees. We've got our hands on each others' arms. Tomoko does the usual, stick-the-hand-between-our-faces, then-lift-it-with-a-"Begin!"

I come in hard on Megumi, as I try to do the exact same thing she did to me the round before. I fall to my side in an attempt to pull her weight forward, and I put my calf against the outside of her leg, while I put my shin against her ribcage.

"Scissor sweep!" Megumi says. "Very good." Then she spreads her knees apart, forming an obtuse V and sitting her rump low on the mat. Now I can't sweep her. "Drop your base to resist the scissor sweep."

"Gah! Alright, Megumi, then take this!" I try to yank her forward. It doesn't work. She's like a two-ton anvil. I try to yank her to the left. Still not working. Anvil. Yank to the right? Not happening. "Oh, come on!"

"Go, Natsuki!" Yuri cheers.

"Doin' great, Natz, don't give up! How do you move her?"

"I don't freaking know, you tell me!"

Tomoko laughs. "We'll go over it at next class. Use what I gave you, don't worry about winning. Megumi, don't kill her."

"I won't ♥"

I know there's a skill discrepancy between me and Megumi, but holy shit, these two are making me feel like a fucking ant. Megumi could squash me anytime she wants. I was stupid. I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have challenged her. She really is like a final boss, and I'm like a level 1 taking on a level 100 enemy. I'm just wasting her time. I'm wasting everyone's time. Why are we here?

"Hey, hey, hey! Up!"

I'd fallen to my back and given up. Tomoko walks over and stands above me. I'm looking up her legs, right at her crotch. Why am I looking at her crotch. Because I'm hot for Yuri, but Yuri's not over here, so all I've got is Tomoko. She's shorter than me, so her center of crotch-gravity is closer to my face.

Oh, fuck, what am I saying?

Tomoko kneels down next to my head and talks gently to me. "Don't give up, Natsuki. Never, ever, ever give up."

"That's easy for you to say," I mutter. Megumi took a quick trip to her office, so she's not in here at the moment.

Yuri comes walking over, too.

"Natsuki..."

I close my eyes. Listening to Yuri's voice is too painful for me right now.

"I gotta do this. I'm doing this for you, Yuri," I confess.

"Y-you don't have to—"

"No. This is what I want. I'll show you."

"Show me what?"

Megumi comes back in. "Ready for another round, Natsuki?"

"Oh, you know it!"

I was born ready, bitch.

Tomoko stands back up and takes the ref position and Yuri goes and sits back down. Tomoko's being quiet now. Her grin vanished. She's getting serious. Or maybe she's concerned? I dunno.

Megumi and I dutifully retake our starting position, down on our knees and face to face. Tomoko does the thing. "Begin!"

This time, I actually push Megumi all the way down to her back. No, she probably let me do it, because now she's got her legs wrapped around my body. This is the same position I saw Yuri hold that one guy in the night before.

"Closed guard," Megumi says sweetly. "Even if you're on your back, you can still submit your opponent. That's the beauty of our gentle art!"

"Natz, break her guard. Remember what I showed you!"

I nod. No, Megumi's expecting me to show her that. Instead, I'll do something I saw one of the other students at Tomoko's school do. I sit up straight and start digging my elbows into parts of Megumi's legs, just above her knees.

Megumi bites her bottom lip. Wait, doesn't that mean she's—

The whole room flips over, and now I'm on my back. Megumi is sitting high on my chest. Like, really high. Like... my face near her crotch high.

"High mount," Megumi says. "When you get an opponent here, they're totally done."

And she continues to sit there. Okay, so, what do I do now? I try everything I can to get Megumi off me, but nothing's working. Tomoko's seriously not going to call Up?

"Uh, Tomoko?"

Just then, as she's sitting so high on my chest, Megumi grabs the back of my head and pulls my chin toward my collar. This is putting a lot of strain on my neck for some reason. I thrash, but I feel like I'm only wasting my energy.

"Tomoko!" I say.

Then Megumi folds one leg and tucks it under the back of my head and drapes herself down the front of me. I can't see what she's doing, but boy, can I feel it. She's going up between my legs. I don't know what part of her hand she's using, but it's really stimulating my you-know-what through my gi pants.

"Whoa! Okay, I tap! I tap!" I'm slapping the mat with both hands. "Megumi—oh—oh my God—anh—" Feels so good, but she's doing it right in front of Yuri and Tomoko.

And speaking of Yuri and Tomoko, they both have opposite reactions. I can see Tomoko at the edge of my vision, sticking her hand down the front of her pants. Oh, great, she's getting off to this. Wonderful. Yuri, on the other hand, is covering her mouth, completely aghast at what's happening.

"Yuri! Get her off me!"

"Megumi," Yuri tries. She stands up and timidly walks over. "Natsuki doesn't want to play anymore. Could you please let her go?"

Megumi isn't listening. She just keeps going and going, and I'm speeding toward a messy climax, if Yuri doesn't do something! As if Yuri's going to physically restrain her own teacher. Damn it!

"Tomoko! Get your hand out of your pants—anh, ah—G-God—and help me!"

"Fuck, that's right," Tomoko says, collecting herself. She pulls her hand out of her pants and comes trotting over. "That's enough, Megumi! Hey!"

"Never ♥"

...

"Watch out, Yuri," says Tomoko, getting herself into position. Megumi doesn't have time to react. Tomoko goes down to the mat and slips a rear choke hold around Megumi's neck, and uses it to drag her off of me like a dying anaconda. Megumi starts to fight the choke, and all too soon the two girls are wrestling around on the mat. I scramble to safety, where I hide behind my purple-haired angel.

"Your teacher's fucked in the head, Yuri!"

Yuri gasps. "You knew I'm taking jiu-jitsu?!"

"Yes. Ow, my neck... I saw you doing it here last night."

"I see..."

Megumi's giggling, despite how hard she and Tomoko are going at each other. I'm seeing so many attempted submissions being traded back and forth that I don't even know which one of them are winning.

They might just be evenly matched.

"You're so jealous, Tomoko ♥"

"Damn right I am, so get back with me already!"

"I will, under one condition!"

"What's that?"

Yuri and I just... keep watching them. They must've rolled halfway across the studio by now, flipping each other over again and again. Who the hell's winning?!

Megumi ends up on her back. She clenches Tomoko between her legs and brings the red-head's face forward, closer to hers. "You and me, at the Rolling Hills. If your school wins, I'll go out with you again. If my school wins, you have to be my bridesmaid when I marry Yuri."

There she goes again. She's not marrying Yuri, hell no! Yuri only loves me! Still hiding behind her, I look up into Yuri's face. Her eyes are brimming with tears.

"Yuri...?"

"I'm sorry, Natsuki. I betrayed you..."

"W-what?"

"I... I gotta go!"

Yuri flees again! Geez, it's just like back in school. Man, she's fast. Despite how I feel about this, I'm watching Yuri's sweet booty as she runs away. That's a booty worth dying for. She's running for her car, so I bet she's either going back home, or she's going somewhere else. Either way, I'll have to talk to her again eventually.

Something comes over me. I jump into the fray of teacher versus teacher. I'm obviously on Tomoko's team.

"Oh, goodness! Tomoko! You and your student, versus little old me?! That's so hot!"

Tomoko laughs. "Shut up, Megumi! Hey, Natz, get Megumi's head. I'll go for her legs."

As much as I wish I could tell you that the two-on-one we had made me feel better, it didn't. We wore Megumi out and eventually Tomoko submitted her with a leglock, but after that, the two of them seemed pretty cool with each other. It's easy to believe they were really dating. Just when I thought I knew them, all I learned was how much I don't.

But why... why is Yuri mixed in with Megumi? That's what I want to know.

My head is still so full of questions.

Please, Yuri, wait for me.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	9. Get Ready!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the beginning of the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling Hills, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 8, 0000

Right at the stroke of midnight, Yuri finally comes to bed. I've been in this bed for, like, an hour, just catching up on a manga I've been reading. The manga's about a guy who becomes a landlord of an all-girls private home, and they all wanna ride his bone, or something. Great story.

The moment my purple-haired angel appears in the doorway, I dog ear the page I'm on and close the manga before setting it aside.

"Yuri," I say with a heavy heart, "we need to have a serious talk."

"Uu... okay..."

"C'mere." I pat the mattress next to me. I want us to be comfortable while we do this.

Yuri comes over and sits down. The mattress slopes a little bit under Yuri's weight. She adjusts the pillows so that she could have cushion between her back and the wall. Yuri swings her legs aboard our mattress and draws the blanket up to her waist. I do the same, so that we're both sitting upright.

"So," I begin, wondering where to start. "When we were at Megumi's dojo, what did you mean when you said you'd betrayed me?"

Yuri sighs. "I don't know how to answer any of these questions without hurting you, Natsuki..."

I scoot a little bit closer to Yuri. "Hey, c'mon, Yuri. You know me. I mean, yeah, this does hurt a little bit, but that's because I love you."

Yuri's expression saddens. "I love you, too, Natsuki."

"So what's Megumi doing? Why's she suddenly all over you?"

"I don't know..."

"Really?"

Yuri takes a slow breath. "It all started when I met Megumi outside of my workplace."

"Oh, that office building!" I say, taking deep interest in where this story's going.

"Yes. There was a terrifying situation. A huge man with muscles that looked as hard as stone was beating up on a skinny man. The skinny man yelled for help, and he was looking right at me when he did. I couldn't save him. The bigger man tackled him to the pavement and started strangling him. I don't know what drove him to that point in his life, but that's what happened. Suddenly, Megumi came running across the road, risking her own well-being—one car swerved to miss her. Megumi was so cool..."

I raise my eyebrows. "What'd she do?"

Yuri scooches a little bit closer to me. Now our hips are touching. Her warmth is flowing into me.

"She tried to get the bigger man to listen to her, but he told her to fuck off."

"Right," I reciprocate.

"So then Megumi climbed on the man's back and fastened her arms around his neck. I thought she was a wrestler at first. The bigger man didn't last long. As soon as Megumi tightened that chokehold, it was already over. The bigger man rolled off the smaller man, log-rolled over Megumi—somehow she was okay getting flattened by someone who outweighed her—and about five seconds later, there was drool coming out of his mouth, and he was unconscious. As soon as he stopped fighting her, Megumi let him go. He woke up a minute later, when the police arrived. I was a witness, so I stayed and answered their questions. Once the bigger man was in handcuffs and getting taken away, Megumi checked on the skinny man, asked him if he was alright. He thanked her and went on his way.

"Then Megumi approached me..."

Now Yuri's hesitating. I rest my head on Yuri's shoulder and softly say, "And...?"

Yuri touches me tenderly, letting her weight come onto me. "That's when things got weird..."

"Weird, how?"

"I was so amazed by what Megumi did, I asked her where she learned to do it. Uuu... she told me she ran a school called Sunset Jiu-Jitsu, or something like that. I was so amazed at how she not only protected the smaller man, but she did it without hurting the bigger man. I imagined myself doing that. The first thing I thought of was... was... p-protecting you, Natsuki..."

"Protecting me?!" I gasp.

Yuri flushes warmly. "I wanted to be y-your, um... I wanted to be your defender. Your protector. Your g...guardian angel..."

Oh my God. I don't know what to say to that.

Yuri continues. "I kept it secret from you because I guess I was embarrassed. I didn't want you to know that I was learning jiu-jitsu. All the time we've been together, I felt like you were doing so much to protect me. You're good at standing up to people, Natsuki. I'm... not... so I just wanted a way to make myself better."

"For me?" Now I've sunk into Yuri completely. I'm clinging to her with both arms. "Or for yourself?"

"At first I did it for you, but now?" Yuri snuggles back. "I'm doing it for both of us. I'll be just as strong as you, Natsuki. I'll protect us both."

"Same here," I whisper. "I'm also gonna protect us. Let's both be protectors, Yuri. Let's do it."

"Yeah..."

"But that doesn't explain why Megumi's chasing you." Time to get back to the real matter at hand. "How'd that come about?"

"Megumi is... silly... huhu..."

Huhu?

"Silly, how?" I say, sharpening my tone.

"Please don't get mad, Natsuki, but... when Megumi accidentally groped me, I sort of... enjoyed it..."

"Sh'yeah right, there was no accident about it," I say. "She did that on purpose. Remember what she did to me earlier? I, uh, was kind of enjoying it, too. That's why I couldn't look at you. I felt guilty."

"Me, too..."

"I secretly wanted her to keep going..."

"Me, too..."

"...but I knew it was wrong."

"So did I..." Yuri whimpers. "I started enjoying Megumi's company a little too much, when she gave me private lessons. Anyone else would've gone to the cops, but I was okay with her touching me in naughty places. I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be! Yuri, listen!"

Yuri's burying her face in her hands and whining pathetically.

"Yuri! Hey! Listen to me! It's okay! I'd be a hypocrite if I got mad at you over that. I'm just as guilty!"

"I cheated on you, Natsuki..."

"And I cheated on you. Kinda. But you know what?"

"What?"

"When Megumi molested me today, it made me realize how much I love you. Yeah, it felt nice, but I have, like, no connection with Megumi. Every time I wanted more out of her, I started to imagine you. All I wanted was you, and nobody else."

"That's how I felt, too," Yuri says sheepishly. "The more Megumi touched me, the more I imagined you. She obviously got the wrong idea. I led her on. Now she's trying to steal me from you."

I nuzzle my face into Yuri. "Well, she can try all she wants. Nobody's gonna take my Yuri!"

Yuri giggles at that and cuddles even closer. "Nobody's going to steal my Natsuki. Huhuhuhu..."

...

Day 8, 0946

I work today. Hip hop hooray. All the cute animals can't wait to see me. To commemorate mine and Yuri's talk last night, I bake her some cupcakes before I go to work.

...

Day 8, 1128

I'm all dressed up for work and ready to head out.

I go over to Yuri, who's sitting on the love seat and browsing through her phone. I lean down, and plant a loving kiss on the top of her head.

"See you tonight, Yuri. I'm going to the open mat block at Tomoko's school today, so I might not see ya till a bit later."

"I'll be at Megumi's school, too."

"Got'cha. Let's work hard! See you tonight!"

"I love you."

...

Day 8, 1843

Oh, duh. Today's Sunday. Tomoko's school isn't open Sunday evenings. She held open mat at noon.

...

Day 9, 1640

I have Monday off, so I go to Tomoko's class.

As soon as I walk in, Tomoko comes and pulls me into her office. Not literally. You know what I mean.

"Close the door for me, Natz, would ya?" Tomoko says, taking a seat behind her desk. She looks really fortified in her clean white gi. "Next weekend, we'll be holding a traditional quarterly meeting of the schools called Rolling Hills."

I think back to when I first heard those words and nod.

"Basically it's something Megumi and I thought up, and everyone at our schools was on board with it. Four times out of the year, we'll dedicate a Saturday afternoon to a friendly competition between our two schools. It's not mandatory, but it's a whole lot of fun when a lot of people show up. It gives us a chance to apply everything we learn by rolling with partners from a different school. Here's the kicker: it literally takes place at a park with rolling hills. It's why we call it Rolling Hills. Geddit?"

"Yeah."

"If you decide to join us, the downside is it'll cost you 3000 yen. It's a way for our schools to raise a bit of extra money, so... yeah. You in?" Before I can answer, Tomoko adds, "You will get dirty and wet if it's rainy, and your gi will get covered in lots of grass stains. One thing you won't be is cold. Not when you get moving, that is. I don't recommend wearing extra layers, unless you really wanna. Any questions?"

"Is this like a tournament thing?" I ask.

"Nope. Think of it more like... hmmm. Think of it like Braveheart."

"Braveheart?" That American movie about the Scottish revolting against the English?

"We'll be the Scots," Tomoko says, grinning. "Megumi and her ilk will be the English."

"But that makes you William Wallace," I playfully add. Tomoko does kind of have red locks befitting Scotland. "He kinda dies at the end of the movie."

"Wow, spoilers." Tomoko laughs. "But yeah, no disrespect to the real William. Anyway, you in, Natz?"

Do I need anymore convincing? "Hell yeah!"

...

Day 9, 1745

I leave class covered in sweat.

Jiu-jitsu's freaking hard when you really get into it. Honestly, that makes me like it even more.

I drive home and arrive at an empty apartment. Yuri must be at Megumi's school, getting her practice in.

...

Day 9, 1830

Yuri comes home talking about the same thing Tomoko talked to me about: Rolling Hills.

"You gonna do it, Yuri?"

"Yes... I think it'll be a lot of fun," she answers, smiling sweetly.

"Me too!" Then it occurs to me— "That makes us enemies!"

"It does!" Yuri giggles. "I won't lose to you, Natsuki."

"And I won't lose to you, Yuri!"

We have a laugh at our declarations, and then Yuri asks me, "Want to take a shower with me?"

"Sure. I'll go start the water."

...

Day 9, 2354

Yuri's already in bed and sound asleep. She's grappling with the pillow I sleep on. I should've gone to bed earlier, too, because I'm hella exhausted after today's class. It's gonna be nothing but this, as we get closer to next Saturday. Tomoko's not teaching me anything new right now, she taught me just enough to be able to contend with other white belts, so she's going to have me drill the basics until I throw up. Fine with me. I burrow under the covers at the foot of the bed and tunnel my way up to Yuri's side, between her and the wall. She wakes up and surrenders my pillow to me, and then I become Yuri's new pillow to hold onto.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	10. The Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even on the battlefield, love can bloom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling Hills, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 14, 1130

The week went by in a flash. I don't remember much of what I did, I just remember drilling techniques in preparation for the Rolling Hills. Guess what? The entirety of Tomoko's freaking academy is attending. I'm just the newbie they're bringing along for the ride. I forked over 3000 yen and, this is what caused me worry, Tomoko made me fill out another waiver, not like the first one I filled out when I started at her school, which basically waived my ability to sue her if I got hurt at during one of her classes. This waiver stated I will not take any legal action in the most unlikely event I am hospitalized for any reason, that Tomoko's school will not pay my medical bills, yadda yadda yadda. No prob.

As for the location in which we hold the event, well, Tomoko wasn't kidding. This park's freaking huge! We rented one of the spaces for the whole day, which cost... well, Tomoko didn't tell me how much it cost, but she did tell me not to worry about it. We rode there in rented vans. It took about twenty minutes to arrive at the park. It was up in the... haha... hills... Rolling Hills...

Shut up, I'm excited, okay?!

I'm with the big throng of Tomoko's students. We have our own wood pavilion where we can store our belongings under a slanted roof. An assortment of picnic tables were set in orderly fashion. In the minutes leading up to the twelve o'clock hour, students warm up, stretch, and mingle. Tetsuya, the guy who got in trouble for saying "Fuck you" to his partner, comes and chats with me. He's pretty cool. He's twenty-eight years old, married, has a daughter, and his wife's a nurse. Tetsuya is one of Tomoko's higher ranking assistants. He's a brown belt. Sometimes he takes over teaching when Tomoko isn't available for whatever reason. I had a couple days where Tetsuya was the teacher. I could tell he's been Tomoko's student for a long time, because his teaching style really matched hers almost to a perfect T.

Yuri's not with me. She's with Megumi's school. The fun part about this event, from what Tomoko told me, is that the schools rent two neighboring spaces. Each space has its own pavilion and field (with hills!), and there's a back woods with hiking trails. The Rolling Hills event is done in three rounds. We'll have two one-on-one rounds, one in our space, and one in Megumi's space. The point of these rounds is twofold: one, to warm up and get a feel for our opponents' grappling style and skill; two, to get a look at the other school's space. No two park spaces are the same.

Round three is the "Braveheart" part that Tomoko told me about. Think Capture the Flag. The main roadway separates our two rented spaces. If they come into our field, they cannot initiate the attack. One of us has to confront them, and it can only be one of us, not two, three, or more. We can't surround our opponent while they grapple with one of our own; if they win, they get to steal one of our ribbons. Each team has five ribbons to steal, and they're located inside our pavilions. If we get submitted while defending our own ribbons, the only penalty is losing a ribbon; no jail time. However, if we go on the offensive and get submitted in THEIR field, we go to their jail for the remainder of the round, or until one of our teammates manages to run across their field and tag us.

In the interest of safety, Tomoko and Megumi changed the rules after some of their students became horribly injured in previous Rolling Hills events. In the beginning, they treated the game like rugby or football. In order to "confront" the opponent, you had to forcefully take them down to the ground in mid-run. Essentially, you had to tackle them. Due to size differences and age differences, that's a little bit too dangerous. Now, it's like a game of tag. If one of us tags an opponent in our field, they have to stop, face us, and we begin rolling from a standing neutral position, and vice-versa if we get tagged on their field.

Round three is the longest round, because each time a school captures all five ribbons, that's a single point. We're playing to three points. You could say it's gonna be a loooong afternoon for some of us. But that's what makes it sound like it's gonna be hella fun!

Tomoko and Megumi are going to be the judges, or referees, whatever you prefer to call them. Their job is to keep everything in order, so they won't be participating in our fun. Not until the end, at least. Tomoko let me in on a little secret. She told me that after a winner is determined in round three, everyone's going to get one chance to do a final one-on-one with anyone they choose—even people from their own school. It's just for fun. And then, last but not least, everyone will get to witness a one-on-one between Tomoko and Megumi.

Whew! That's a lot to cover, isn't it? That's what I've been thinking about all the way up until now. Tomoko comes under the pavilion roof and announces that we're about to begin.

"Listen up, y'all!" says the red-haired dwarf. She's literally shorter than all of us. I still can't believe I'm an inch taller than Tomoko. "Sunset Academy is on their way right now! Round one is going to be held in OUR territory. When you're not rolling, you will stand or sit, I don't care, as long as you keep stretching and stay loose. Stay hydrated, too. I brought a case of bottled water for anyone who didn't bring their own. If you want to mingle with the other school, feel free to do so! If I hear any trash-talking, you will get one warning. Do it again, you're out of Rolling Hills for the rest of the day, and you will do fifty push ups the next time I see you at class! I mean it, y'all. If anybody from Megumi's school comes and trash-talks you, you come straight to me. Megumi and I will put a stop to it. A bit of friendly rivalry is good, but if it goes beyond that, I will rain fire in your world. Since we're not in our school, I'm gonna be lenient on the no cussing rule. Just keep that shit to a minimum." Tomoko grins at us. "While you're rolling, you will obey our commands at all times. If we say 'Up,' you are to stop. If you do not stop, I will make you stop. If Megumi's student doesn't stop, Megumi will make them stop. Any questions?"

A few students raise their hands and send questions Tomoko's way. After she answers them, I look out across our field.

Megumi is coming, dressed in a white gi just like the rest of us, with a band of students proudly following behind her. She's got the sweetest smile on her face. Her brown pigtails wave in the wind.

"Here she comes, y'all. Look sharp. Round one will begin in a few minutes. Let's go out there and introduce ourselves. Bow to each other, and show good sportsmanship."

We come out from under the pavilion to meet Megumi's students. I'll admit, I feel pretty fuckin' badass right now. Tomoko was right, this feels kinda like Braveheart. I spot my purple-haired angel in the crowd. When our eyes meet, we step forward and stand face-to-face. Or, in my case, face-to-boobs.

"Hi, Natsuki," Yuri says.

"Hi, Yuri," I say back.

What else do we say? It's not like we can hug and kiss right now, we're "enemies." Quote-unquote.

Fuck it, I'm just gonna say it.

I take strong side-stance and point my finger at Yuri, just like I see characters do in anime.

"Yuri! It's finally time to get it on. I challenge you! Do you accept?"

Yuri's eyes grow wide. Then she grins at me like she never grinned before. It seems I lit a fire in my purple angel's heart.

"Yes!" Yuri says. "I accept your challenge, Natsuki! Let's make it a good one!"

Yuri and I turn our backs on each other and walk away. I find Tomoko and request to face Yuri in round one. I look over and see Yuri speaking to Megumi. She's requesting to face me. Good.

"No problem, Natz. You and Yuri? We'll make it happen."

Sweet.

The first round of Rolling Hills is just about to get underway. The sky is overcast with a chance of sunlight. It's not too cold, but not too warm, either.

I reach inside the vest of my gi and feel around my waist. Yep, it's still there.

The box containing Yuri's engagement ring.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	11. The Rolling Hills, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never give up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling Hills, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 14, ??:??

I lost track of time.

That's okay. I haven't even rolled yet, and I'm already having way too much fun. As Tomoko would say, "It's your fault you're having so much fun!"

Guilty as charged.

Following Tomoko's advice, I'm lightly jogging in place one minute, and sitting down and stretching my legs the next. I do this along with everyone else. They're not going in order by rank when they call people up to roll. Tomoko has a clipboard with a list. Megumi also has one. They're both armed with pencils. They're both going down the list and crossing off people who've already rolled.

Finally, I'm the fifth to get called up.

"Okay," I tell myself. "You got this, Natsuki."

Nobody will be able to hear us if we keep our voices low while we go at it. This is where I'm going to propose to Yuri. I need to get her into a good position before I do it. Should I sit on her in mount position, or should I put her into side-control? If I propose while choking her, that'd just be silly.

Yuri gets called up, too. We move into the space of uneven grass between the two schools. Tomoko grins at me. Megumi smiles sweetly at Yuri. Yuri's cheeks flush. Yeah, I know, Yuri, she's pretty, but keep your eyes on me, would ya? I'm prettier, damn it! Screw it, I'm gonna make Yuri feel like a goddess when I propose. Tomoko tells me to stand at the ready. Megumi instructs Yuri to do the same.

This is gonna be epic.

...

...

...

What the fuck? Yuri kicked my ass! Seriously, that did NOT go as I planned. We only rolled for, like, thirty seconds, and I'm already done?! I shouldn't have tapped out, but when Yuri twisted my arm that way, my poor shoulder couldn't take it anymore. Oh my God, this disappointment is making me wanna cry. Keep it together, Natsuki. I couldn't propose this time. I'll get a chance in round two.

...

...

...

Round one is finally over.

"Good job, everyone!" Tomoko says to us as Megumi leads her gaggle of students away. Before she goes, Yuri smirks and winks at me. Is she taunting me? That look, that smirk, the way she winked at me—that just made me a little bit wet. Oh, I'm gonna get'cha, you sweet bitch. Tomoko continues. "It doesn't matter if you lose or win today! What matters is what you learn from each encounter! I can see some of you are disappointed in yourselves. You want another chance, don't ya? Well, in about ten minutes, you'll get another chance. Go get some water, go stretch some more, and then meet me back here."

...

...

...

Ten minutes later, Tomoko leads us over to Megumi's field.

I silently go "Oooh," because the pavilion on Megumi's side is farther back from the main roadway than ours is. So that's how it's gonna be in round three, huh? They don't have to run so far when they come over to our side, but we have to run a million miles to reach theirs. That's fair, how?

Whatever. All I care about today is proposing to Yuri. It's gonna happen today, damn it. No more chickening out. So what if a bunch of people see it happen? What're they gonna do? I wanna propose right in front of Megumi, and show that two-timer that nobody, not even she, is going to steal my Yuri.

You're mine, Yuri.

And I'm yours.

You belong to me.

I belong to you.

You give.

I take.

I give.

You take.

That is the meaning of marriage.

A character in an anime about alchemy put it best: Equivalent Exchange.

...

...

...

Once again, we're off, and we're doing one-on-ones. This is round two, and the bouts are a bit more drawn-out this time. Especially when Tetsuya goes up and rolls with one of Megumi's brown belts.

They get a little bit into it, if you get my drift. No, I'm not saying he's gay or anything like that, though that would make it a bit more entertaining, seeing Tetsuya slap the other guy on the butt like Megumi did to me. No, what I mean is, Tetsuya and this other guy look like they're actually going one hundred percent. Brown belts are scary when they get into it, holy crap.

"Up!" Tomoko says.

Tetsuya's head is caught between the other guy's arm and his ribs. Tetsuya probably didn't hear her.

"Up!" Megumi says.

The other guy stops, but Tetsuya keeps going.

Is Tomoko gonna get mad? I hope not. She's scary when she's happy, I bet she's even scarier when she's mad.

"Tetsuya! Up!"

Tetsuya stops fighting and raises his head, looking all over the place in alarm. The dude sees Tomoko looking at him and he knows what's gonna happen next. He has to know, because I don't.

And what does Tomoko do?

"Did you hear us calling up?" she asks him.

"No," he says, shaking his head.

Tomoko stares him down.

And then—

"Okay," Tomoko says.

Good, he isn't in trouble. She probably knows the deal, having been in this game longer than any of us.

"We stopped you because you guys looked like you were about to kill each other. You good?"

"Yeah, we were just having fun."

Megumi is talking to her guy over there. Once they clear things up, she and Tomoko allow them to finish their bout.

Tetsuya won that one.

Yuri and I are called up as the last two to go at it, to end off round two.

So we do it.

This time around, I'm ready for Yuri's technique. Megumi must've been telling Yuri how to beat me. It wouldn't surprise me if Megumi learned my weaknesses the day I rolled with her at her school. I only say that because some of the moves Yuri's doing reminds me a hell of a lot of Megumi.

Then again, Megumi IS her teacher, so... yeah.

As we're going at it and I end up on my back with Yuri attempting to hold me in side-control, we've got our respective schools cheering us on.

I hear Tetsuya telling me not to waste energy, and be patient.

I hear one of Yuri's classmates telling her to wait until I try to wiggle my way out of her side-control.

Okay, this isn't the ideal position, but since we're in a stalemate and nobody can hear us over the schools' respective cheers, I decide to go for it.

"Yuri," I say softly to her, as she keeps me pinned to the grass. "I have something I want to ask you." Hoo boy, it's hard to talk with someone's body pressing down on mine. Hard to breathe.

"What's that, Natsuki?" pants Yuri, as she attempts to sneak a hold of one of my wrists.

"We've known each other for a while, and... we're... both living together, and..."

I get interrupted when Yuri finally catches one of my wrists and attempts to put me in an armbar.

Shit! Which way do I flip to get out of this?! I saw Tomoko do this when she was rolling with Megumi.

I somersault.

"AGH!"

"Up!" Tomoko and Megumi yell at the same time. Yuri lets go of my wrist and somersaults backwards, collecting grass stains on her white gi and little blade of grass in her purple cape of hair. She rises to her feet, and then she disappears behind Megumi, who kneels down beside me along with Tomoko.

"What's up, Natz? You alright?"

I suck air through my teeth. "I don't know what I did to my arm, but it hurt like hell."

"Can you move it?" Megumi asks me.

I try.

"Yeah," I say. "I'm feeling tiny shots of pain here and there."

"Yeah, be careful from here on out," says Tomoko. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to pull you out of this round. Megumi, go ahead and announce Yuri as the winner and take over for me, would ya?"

"Okay."

As soon as Megumi stands up, Yuri takes her place.

"Oh, Natsuki!" Yuri says, her eyes getting shiny with moisture. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"I'm alright," I say quickly, feeling my cheeks bloom into rosebushes of shame. "It didn't hurt THAT bad."

"Go with Megumi, Yuri," Tomoko says peacefully. On cue, Megumi gently touches Yuri's shoulder.

"She's fine, dear," Megumi speaks softly.

I grit my teeth for a second. She's seriously gonna flirt with Yuri at a time like this? But then Megumi gives Tomoko a look that I can only read as—well, let's just say it's a look that Yuri's given me on her good nights. I think that's a good sign. Seems like she's given up on chasing Yuri, because Tomoko is giving Megumi the bedroom eyes.

Thank God.

You two go fuck and have a good time, just leave my Yuri out of it!

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

The afternoon drags on. How long's it been? An hour? Two hours? Dunno, don't care. Tomoko leaves me at the sidelines where I nurse my arm. Meanwhile, my classmates are chatting with me. Some of them are well-versed in the ways of handling injuries; they show me little workouts and stretches I never even dreamed of, and... they seriously help! Kickass.

After Tomoko and Megumi announce the end of round two, they instruct us to prepare for an epic showdown, suggesting it's the moment we've all been waiting for.

The energy gets ramped up. The air's alive with power; if my classmates had auras, there'd be lightning bolts and thunder raining all over the field, kind of like in that one manga where the fighters' hair get all spiky when they get super strong. And they scream a lot. The characters in the manga, not my classmates.

I've still got my ring in my vest.

I only have one more shot to propose to Yuri.

It's gonna happen on the battlefield.

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	12. The Rolling Hills, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> War of attrition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling Hills, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 14, ??:??

This is it.

Round 3, the end of Rolling Hills. I don't know how long this round's gonna last. From the way Tomoko made it sound, it's gonna be a war of attrition. I need to tag Yuri.

Tomoko takes a moment to remind us of some ground rules for round three.

"Since we have a wide spectrum of ranks here, y'all need to stick to your own brackets. White, orange, and stripeless yellow belts, you should go after other whites, oranges, and stripeless yellows. Nobody above yellow can tag you, and vice-versa. Striped yellow belts, gold belts, and gold stripe belts, you're bracket two. Stick to it! Next, green, green stripe, blue, and blue stripe belts, you are bracket three. Red, red stripe, purple, purple stripe—bracket four! Browns and brown stripes, you're bracket five. Stick—to—your—own—brackets."

A gold belt student raises her hand. "Sensei! What if we run out of lower-ranked defenders, and their lower ranks come onto our side?"

"In that case, that's where the exception comes in. Let's hope those lower ranks can outrun you higher ranks, or they're toast!" Tomoko grins. "The same goes for you lower ranks. If you end up jailing all their lower ranks, guess what? You've got higher ranks to deal with! Better stay fast on your feet, or you'll have stronger opponents to roll with!"

Another student, a yellow belt, raises his hand. "Sensei! What if a game goes on for too long?"

"It won't," Tomoko says simply. "You guys are eventually gonna take each other out and one or both sides' numbers will start to dwindle. As the gap between numbers grows, the side with the most players is probably gonna end up getting the ribbon. If, for whatever reason, a game goes on for TOO long, Megumi and I have agreed to intervene and turn any game into a sudden death match. Don't worry, we won't keep y'all here all day long, we know you've got lives outside of school." Tomoko laughs.

Without further ado, the game gets underway.

Megumi's field is across the main roadway. We can't see her field from ours, because our field is a little farther inland. So to get there, we'd have to literally run about twenty feet up the main way. There won't be any rolling allowed in the main way. Anyone who enters the main way to stand idle will be thrown out of the match.

It's interesting how Tomoko and Megumi plan to proctor this game. They're both going to be standing at the edge of our fields, near the main roadway, where they can communicate with... megaphones. I'm not shitting you, they brought their own school-frickin'-logo'd megaphones with 'em.

I, and the rest of Tomoko's school, are standing ready at our pavilion, like we're about to run a race. Tomoko's on the other side of our field with the megaphone at her lips. "Y'all ready, Rising Sun?"

Megumi's voice echoes in the distance. "Sunset Academy, are you ready?"

We pump our fists and let out a cheer.

The cheers of Megumi's crew rises from a distance unseen.

Tomoko turns and nods to Megumi, standing out of sight. A second later she turns to us and yells through her megaphone, "Round three, game one! Begin!"

Megumi: "Round three, game one! Start!"

Tetsuya claps me on the back of my shoulder. "Follow me, Natsuki."

"Okay!"

A bunch of gi-clad jiu-jitsu students jog en masse toward the midline, toward Tomoko, who stands out of the way with her hands on her hips, grinning like a mad woman. Good thing we're all wearing shoes, or this would be rough on our feet. The Rising Sun students fan out and form a human wall at the edge of our field. I stick with Tetsuya. I feel safer near a brown belt.

"Okay, Natsuki," Tetsuya tells me. "This is a war of attrition, so we need to strategize. Sorry, but you, the other white belts, and the orange belts need to go in first. You guys run in and occupy their front line. Once you're all down in the grass, the upper ranks will come in behind you to take out their next line of defense. As long as even one of us submit one of them, we'll get a ribbon. Get ready—hey!"

My heart skips a beat. Someone from Megumi's school comes barreling through the front line. None of us get hurt, but none of us lower ranks can tag him. It's the guy Tetsuya rolled with during round two. The opposing brown belt slips past Tetsuya and makes a wild break for our pavilion.

Tetsuya swears. "I'll get him! You all, back up, get ready to catch them as they come in!"

Tetsuya's already taken off after the guy. He catches up and slaps the guy on the backs of his shoulders with both hands. The other guy has no choice but to turn around and start rolling with Tetsuya. While they're going at it halfway across our field, halfway to our pavilion, I and the rest of the school start to back away from the main roadway.

More of Megumi's students come stampeding down the pavement and make a left turn into our field. They're attempting to overwhelm us!

I wanna go after Yuri, but she gets tagged by a yellow belt on my team. Meanwhile, I end up having to tag another white belt. She's taller than I am—duh, right?—and she's got long blue hair and heterochromea. One eye blue, the other eye green. Bewitching. Before I start rolling with this chick, I make sure we're on the grass and far enough away from the pavement that we don't end up between the fields, and eventually as roadkill if anyone comes driving down.

She effortlessly rips me off my feet and takes me down hard. This bitch is trying to kill me! Thinking back to all that Tomoko taught me, I attempt to make a comeback, but she's got my spine pinned to the grass. I'm trying to get a little bit of distance from her, but she's clinging to me like a spider about to feast upon her prey. Is this girl actually a white belt?! I'm getting my ass kicked! The more I struggle, the more she giggles. She's toying with me! Damn it, I can't let her win, or she'll get one of our ribbons—

"Everyone, up! Sunset Academy captured a ribbon!"

The girl gets off of me and I sit up, looking around. "What?"

The guy Tetsuya chased down was trotting back across our field with one of our ribbons in his hand.

"Aw, no way," I said.

Looks like we got one-upped. Sunset Academy ain't fuckin' around with us. This is getting me so pumped.

"Everyone back to your respective sides!" Megumi says through her megaphone.

Tomoko's megaphone projects her voice as well. "Up and back, we're gonna start again!"

Again, huh? One school's gotta capture all five ribbons? This is gonna go until one of our schools get... all five? At one point, it felt like this was gonna go fast. But if we have to do this THAT MANY more times, then I think I'm starting to see where the "attrition" part comes in. I haven't even been in the game for very long, and I'm already covered in sweat. It's hard work, trying to fight off someone who's attempting to put you in some kind of submission hold. Not only do you have to use your whole body to maneuver all over the floor, you have to do that with someone who weighs well over a hundred pounds, and who might just outweigh you, on freaking top of you trying to hold you down. It's harder than it looks, believe me. My stomach muscles are tired, my hips are tired, my back is tired.

I feel like I might not last much longer!

Gotta get to Yuri... gotta propose...

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

"Rising Sun Academy! Begin!"

"Sunset Academy, fight on! Start!"

Here we go again. We start from our pavilion and run across our field. Nobody told me I was gonna be running all afternoon. I guess I should've expected it, huh? That's okay. Once again, we're at the main roadway, forming a human wall.

No. History's going to repeat itself. It's time I change things.

"Natsuki's going!" one of my classmates yells. "Follow! Follow! File in!"

I'm the first one who takes off running up the main roadway. A twenty foot sprint just to reach their field. They've formed a human wall like we did. I can see all those white belts and yellow belts, and quite a few upper ranks. I attempt to slip through them like Tetsuya's opponent did us, but I don't make it far. An orange belt tags me. Shit...

I'll spare you the details. He wasted me. End of story. I had no choice but to roll with him, and that dude submitted me with a choke in, like, twenty seconds. So I get put in Sunset's jail.

Jail students have to stay off to the side of the opposing field, at roughly the halfway mark. The smartest thing for my team to do is forget about me and go for their ribbon.

I'm standing over there, pacing around by myself with my arms crossed as I catch my breath. I'm not alone for long. A yellow belt comes and joins me. Then another white belt. Then another. Now they've got four of us in their jail.

"Nice try, Natsuki," says one of the white belts.

"That was an epic dive," says the yellow belt. "Next time, watch for an opening. Now that you've gone and surprised them, they're gonna start anticipating our next moves."

The striped yellow belts and gold belts on our team come charging into Sunset's field. A red belt comes after them, followed by a green and a couple of blues. Our team's really pushing them hard!

Yuri doesn't get a piece of that action, she's not about to tag someone who's an entire bracket higher. Smart girl. Eventually one of our gold belts submits an gold stripe on their team and wins a ribbon. I, along with the other jailbirds, cross back over to our field to start a third go.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

Sweat drips from my face. I'm panting. The first game is finally over. Sunset Academy collected all five ribbons, while we only collected three.

We've got two more games. All five ribbons equals one point, and we're playing to three. I'm freaking dying here.

I still haven't been able to catch Yuri. Something's got to change.

I'm at our pavilion with everyone else. Tetsuya bops me on the shoulder and says, "You're kicking mean fuckin' ass out there, Natsuki, good job."

"What are you talking about? All I ever do out there is lose. I haven't gotten a single win!"

"That's how it goes, kiddo. You lose until you win. When I was your rank, I didn't win a single roll until I got my second rank. You've only been going for, what, a week? Two weeks? I like your style. Keep it up out there." He holds up a plastic bottle full of ice cold water. Gratuitously I accept it, unscrew the cap, and start guzzling. "Drink slow, Natsuki, or you might puke it back up."

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

This game is going on... and on... and on...

I keep losing. If they're not nearly ripping my arm off, I'm getting choked out. If I'm not getting choked out, they're twisting my legs in ways they don't want to go. Jiu-jitsu is NOT a gentle art! It's scary! They're scary!

I never should've taken it up. Maybe I'll just quit.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

How long has it been since Rolling Hills started? Three hours? Four hours? Somehow, both schools scored two points. We're down to our final game, the next school who gets all five ribbons is going to win round three.

I'm so tired, and I'm getting hungry. I had a banana before our final game. That banana wasn't enough. The only place I wanna be right now is snuggled in Yuri's arms, in our apartment. No choke holds, no armbars, no leg twists. Just us, together, with an engagement ring on Yuri's finger.

Is that so much to ask?

Why haven't I been able to catch her?

Oh, it's because every time I go for Yuri, one of her classmates catches me, and I have to roll with them. And I get my ass kicked. Every single time.

I'm sitting on the seat in our pavilion, about thirty seconds before the start of the final game. I don't wanna face the world right now. I wish they'd go on without me.

"Get up, Natsuki," says Tetsuya. "It's almost over."

...

"Natsuki? Yo!" Tetsuya comes over to me. I turn my face away. What the fuck's wrong with me? I'm happy here, damn it, so why am I— "You okay, Natsuki?"

"I'm fine," I seethe. My lips are quivering. My hair is unkempt now. I'm using my pink locks to hide my eyes. All Tetsuya can see is the bottom half of my face, my head turned to the side, and my quaking jaw.

I think I just snapped. I jump to my feet and stare deep into Tetsuya's soul. I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Tetsuya!"

"Yeah?"

"You and me! Let's get out there, and kick some mean fucking ass!"

Tetsuya grins. "Atta-girl, let's go!"

Tomoko was here at the pavilion, too, getting a bite to eat herself. I see the hint of a crooked grin as she walks past Tetsuya and I.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

"Rising Sun! This is it!"

"Sunset! Are you ready?!"

We cheer.

They cheer.

Tomoko and Megumi are in their places. We're at our pavilion.

The heads of the two schools say in unison, "Final round! Start!"

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	13. For the Love of an Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment of truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 - The Real World  
> Chapter 2 - The Rabbit  
> Chapter 3 - Mystery Girl  
> Chapter 4 - Megumi  
> Chapter 5 - Whimsy  
> Chapter 6 - Ghost Under the Light  
> Chapter 7 - How Dare You  
> Chapter 8 - Final Boss?!  
> Chapter 9 - Get Ready!  
> Chapter 10 - The Challenge  
> Chapter 11 - The Rolling Hills, Part 1  
> Chapter 12 - The Rolling Hills, Part 2  
> Chapter 13 - For the Love of an Angel  
> Chapter 14 - Epilogue  
> Chapter ?? - ??

Day 14, ??:??

We're going at it.

We're going hard, and fast, and relentless.

Everyone's running across the midline and crossing into each others' fields, only to get chased back to the midline. Everyone's crossing over, but nobody's committing to a rolling match. I was never trying to get the ribbons. All I want is Yuri.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

Significant amounts of time has gone by. I'm beyond lost; I'm mentally exhausted, I'm physically exhausted, and I'm losing my thinning sense of reality. This is hell for me. It stopped being fun. Now it's all-or-nothing. People have already begun going mano a mano. Both our schools have been going back and forth, almost as if we're trading off wins. They'd get a ribbon from us, we'd get a ribbon from them, vice-versa, vice-versa.

All too soon, the match becomes another neck-and-neck race. Both schools have four ribbons at this point. The next side that steals a ribbon wins round three.

...

...

...

Day ??, ??:??

Mommy... please... help me... I'm so tired... I can't run anymore... I'm so useless... I can't catch Yuri... she's too far back... no... please... no...

...

...

...

Day ??, ??:??

It's over. Sunset Academy won.

Yuri's over there celebrating with them. That's cool. I'll have to find another time to propose to her... I guess...

I sigh.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

Oh yeah, now I remember what day it is. Now that I've had a chance to sit down and drink a whole fuckload of water, and eat three bananas plus an orange, I've regained a bit of energy.

Tomoko comes into our pavilion and announces to us, "Listen up! We're going to commence with the closing ceremony for Rolling Hills! You're all gonna get one last chance to roll with someone—anyone of your choice! Once y'all got some water and food in ya, head on over to Sunset's field!"

Holy shit, I forgot about that! I can still get close to Yuri and propose! I can feel the box in my vest, the ring hidden stashed inside it. Waiting.

...

...

...

Day 14, ??:??

Seriously, what time is it? I wonder this as we're all over at Sunset's field, watching people from both sides get called up, one by one, and challenge one random person. Tetsuya challenged Megumi, which was an interesting match. Megumi beat him. Duh. But she had to really work at it. He gave her a run for her money! Likewise, a lucky brown belt on Megumi's side challenged Tomoko. She, the brown belt, gave Tomoko all she had, but Tomoko made tapping her look so easy and effortless.

Am I ever gonna get that good at this?

I sigh again.

Yuri's over there, looking just as heavenly as she can, despite being covered in sweat and grass stains, with little blades of grass still caught up in her beautiful purple hair...

"—uki! Natsuki!"

"Huh-huh?"

Did I just doze off while sitting upright? How freaking tired am I? And that wasn't Tomoko or Megumi calling my name.

It' was Yuri.

Tomoko says, "Oooh, looks like you got challenged, Natz! Do you accept?!"

Yuri's challenging me to come out to her and have one last roll.

My body fights me as I stand up as fast as I can. My legs are shaky, and my grip is weakening, but I'll be goddamned if I'm letting this chance go. I will die proposing to you, Yuri.

"I accept!"

I'm walking out there.

This is it.

Am I getting closer to her? Or is she getting close to me?

Time starts to slow down.

Everything I've ever done, everything I've ever said, has come down to this.

For the love of an angel, I'll lay it on the line.

Yuri...

Yuri...!

"Ready!" Tomoko says.

Megumi and Tomoko are both centering this roll. They stay back to give us room. I'm standing in front of Yuri, and Yuri is standing in front of me. Our knees are bent. We're ready to lunge at each other. On their mark.

"Begin!"

Yuri and I crash into each other. Because she's bigger and apparently more skilled than I am, she bulldozes me a couple steps backwards and hooks my heel with her own. I crash down onto my back and get the wind knocked out of me when Yuri lands on top of me. Oh my God, that hurt. I think something popped.

"Yuri...!"

"Huff... huff... yes, Natsuki?"

We're both huffing and puffing she attempts to fight her way through my guard. I've got my legs wrapped around Yuri's torso, trying my hardest to keep my knees squeezed clamped on her. Her hair is getting toussled by her own efforts. A few locks are matted to her sweaty face. I think I see a grass poking out the corner of her mouth. Yuri looks like jiu-jitsu hell, and I bet I look no worse for the wear to her. Yuri tries to sit up, but I use my legs to pull her weight forward. Her head comes down low enough for me to clamp my hands down on the back of her neck and hold her face against my chest.

My voice melts into her ears.

"Yuri... will you marry me?"

She gasps.

I take the opportunity, because she stopped fighting, to roll onto my side and scissor-sweep Yuri onto her back. I end up sitting mounted on top of her belly. I drop all of my weight and keep my ass firmly planted on top of her.

"Natsuki..." She's staring up at me wide-eyed.

As I sit there, I dig my little box out of my vest, open the lid, and pull out the engagement ring.

And then Yuri bucks her hips to the moon, throwing my weight forward. I drop the box but keep hold of the ring as my hands reflexively shoot out in front of me to catch me in my fall forward. My face hangs right above Yuri's.

Yuri slips out from under me and stands up. I follow her.

"Natsuki..."

Yuri sticks her hand into her vest...

No way...

Is she...?

Yuri pulls out a box...

And she opens it...

And she shows it to me.

An engagement ring.

She casts the box aside.

Tomoko and Megumi are both keeping quiet. Everyone's keeping quiet. The silence hangs heavily between us.

Slowly, Yuri's left hand rises out in front of her, as she extends it to me.

I do the same. My left hand rises out in front of me, as I extend it to her.

She takes her ring and slips it onto my left ring finger.

I take my ring, and slip it onto Yuri's left ring finger.

"Will you marry me?" Yuri asks me.

"...I asked you first."

"...And now I'm asking you."

"I still asked you first."

"But now I'm asking you."

"Haha..."

"Huhu..."

Rather than voice our answers, Yuri and I snap back to reality and slam our bodies against each other in one final clash. We've got a hold of each other, and now it's a battle of who-takes-whom down first! Yuri tries to hook my heel again, but I ain't lettin' that happen again, you sweet bitch!

Our schools are cheering us on.

They're cheering... kinda loud.

Too loud.

They're even whistling.

Yuri's tightens her fists full of my gi and swings me around in a circle. How can she have that much power, despite being this freaking tired? I'm swung around, and for a second my feet leave the ground. Once I regain my balance, I pop low and drive my weight forward, attempting to do what Tomoko showed me a couple days before Rolling Hills: a single-leg take down.

It works!

I get Yuri down to the grass and I climb on top of her. For once, I'm finally in a superior position. Yuri fights me, but I've already got a hold of her wrist. I bend her elbow ninety degrees and affix my hands in such a way as to drag the backs of Yuri's knuckles down along the ground. This is putting a lot of strain on her shoulder.

"Tap! I tap!" Yuri cries out.

"Up!"

I release her and roll off. I'm laying in the grass, panting heavily. Both schools are clapping.

Yuri rolls over and posts her hand by my head, bridging herself just above me. Her sweaty hair tickles my nose.

There's the face of my angel, blocking out the sun that's beginning to peek out from behind the clouds.

"Will you marry me?" she asks me one more time.

I close my eyes.

"Yes, Yuri. You just stole me like a thief in the night... so now you have me, for the rest of your life."

"Huhuhu... I'm going to take you to the stars."

{TO BE CONTINUED}


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hereafter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Q2hhcHRlciA/PyAtDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyID8/IC0gDQpDaGFwdGVyIDE1IC0gRHJlYW1z

Day 3,664, 1900

Not a day goes by I don't look back on the day I proposed to Yuri, and she proposed right back. It was like jiu-jitsu; who submitted whom? I may have nearly pulled Yuri's shoulder out of socket, but she submitted me with her proposal.

Tonight is the night of our high school reunion.

Ten years ago, Yuri and I proposed to each other.

Nine years ago, we got married.

Eight years ago, we started going to college.

Six years ago, we got a couple of degrees.

The rest is history. Whatever we're doing, it's to be decided by fate. We ended up getting jobs that earned us enough money to move into a proper house.

But you know what else?

Tomoko and Megumi... they're still our teachers. They're still teaching us at their respective schools. We stuck with jiu-jitsu all these years. It took Yuri and I a long time to climb up through the ranks.

Like the famous Bruce Lee once said, "A belt is only good for holding up your pants."

And he said a myriad of other inspiring things, too, and believe me, Yuri and I live by those.

Yuri and I have our brown belts now. We're okay at jiu-jitsu. Not the best. Not the worst. We're advanced students. And we're Tomoko and Megumi's assistant teachers. I never thought I'd be a teacher, let alone a jiu-jitsu teacher.

You never know what the night could bring, y'know?

Whenever I look back on the shy little girl I used to be, I admire how much I've changed, how much stronger I've become.

Remember my dad? That abusive asshole? I went back to visit him after Yuri's and my wedding day, and wouldn't ya know it? He was drunk and kind of pissed off that his daughter turned out to be a lesbian. He tried to hit me.

It was the first time in my life I had to apply my jiu-jitsu training in a real self-defense situation. Long story short, I didn't hurt my dad. How could I? He's my dad. What I did do was block his arm when he attempted to slap me, did an arm drag, and from there I wrapped my arms around him and locked my hands together. I took him to the ground in his living room, and held him there for about ten minutes until he wore himself out trying to fight me off. After that, he needed another drink. I sighed and told him I'd be back to visit another day.

Yuri and I met up with some of the people we went to school with, but the ones we were really there to see showed up ten minutes after we did.

We were at a bar. Yuri and I drink socially. Thank God I'm not an addict like my dad.

Guess who showed up?

Go on, guess.

Okay, I'll tell ya.

Remember Sayori and Yu? Yeeeaaaah, they're married and have kids now. They got someone to babysit while they came to this thing.

Sayori looks good. After she turned full adult, her boobs magically grew. What the hell, everyone's boobs are bigger than mine. Fuck it, Yuri likes my boobs, so whatever. Yu decided to let his hair grow out and now he's sporting a good looking beard. If I were straight, I'd have totally tried to get with him.

We catch up with each other and tell stories. Sayori and Yu got a kick out of hearing about me and Yuri's journey into the world of jiu-jitsu.

About an hour into our reunion, someone else showed up...

That someone was Monika.

Hot damn, Monika looks sexy. Not sexy enough to steal me from Yuri, but she's matured so much that I'd be surprised if she weren't a damn model for some agency somewhere. She's apparently smarter than all of us, too. She and some friends of hers from Salvato Enterprise designed a virtual reality game, and she brought us headsets for all to play.

"No way," Sayori says. "Yu, you gotta see this!"

Yu follows suit and puts on a headset. "That's us. Who'd you get to draw us?"

Yuri puts on a headset next. "Oh my... Natsuki, put yours on."

I do the same. The headset comes down over my eyes and the bar disappears. I'm suddenly staring into a visual novel's virtual reality. The backdrop is a classroom that looks a lot like the one I remember. The high school versions of me, Yuri, Saryori, Yu, and Monika, all artistically drawn in the style of anime. We have our own dialogue boxes.

"You guys made a dating sim?!" I gasp. "And we're all in it?!"

"Ahaha, yes, Natsuki. It was my idea."

"What's it called?"

"We're thinking about calling it Doki-Doki Literature Club, but that's just a placeholder."

"Kickass."

Apparently it's a game where the main character, who you can't see, and the character whose design is based off Yu, are rivals and trying to get with the girls, which are apparently me, Sayori, Natsuki, and Monika. Just for fun, Monika says, they decided to make Monika's character the "villain" of the game. She's trying to override the entire script and get through to the actual player. The girls in the game keep stealing the main character from her, so her character starts making crazy-scary things happen. Eventually there's character deaths and... yeah...

I have to say to Monika, once I'm done dinking around in her game, "Are you okay, Monika? Like, are you trying to tell us something? With this game?"

"Ahahaha..."

She just laughs. She doesn't answer.

"Well, anyway, I can't wait to see the finished product," I say.

Our high school reunion was a blast.

There's... really not much more to say than that.

Thanks for listening to my story, whoever you are.

To say that Yuri and I lived happily ever after, well, that'd be an exaggeration. There's no such thing as happily ever after. If I can get you to take anything from my story, it's this:

Whoever you meet in life, whoever you fall in love with, keep one thing in mind, that they're imperfectly perfect. You will have arguments. You will get upset with each other. You will show your dark sides. Your job will be to work through it. If you and your chosen one love each other truly, there will be no bridge you can't cross.

This is Natsuki, signing off.

{THE END}

...

...

...


	15. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The field is alive. Chromatic sounds. I am dead. You are just a soul with a body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I love you!
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> Enjoy this secret chapter!

It doesn't matter what my name is or who I am or where I've been or what I've done or how I did it.

It doesn't matter who you are or why you live or what you live for or what you plan to do with it.

When your dreams come to life tonight, there's a chance that you might have just witnessed the future.

To see the future every night, just as I do, you must live in the past. There's no such thing as the present. Every moment in time is a moment gone by—you live in the past.

Do you understand?

Breach the universe with me, and let's have a look.

My reality is not the same as yours.

I can look through time and space.

I've seen her.

I've seen him.

I've seen you.

I've been watching you closely.

Too closely, in fact.

I'm a voyeur.

Nothing I do or say gives any meaning to this meaningless void.

You hear me?

NOTHING!

...

...

...

Why have you come?

Why are you still here?

Is it for the same reasons I do?

Well, it's too late to tell you to go away, you're already on your way out. Just like he did.

Why couldn't he love me?

Why does he continue to hurt me?

All I have left is this... thing, this...

Sigh.

...What?

What do you want me to say?

Did you expect more out of me?

There's nothing left. You might as well find another universe.

This one has run dry.

I'd come with you, but I don't want to catch your disease.

Are you still wondering who I am?

Who do you think I am?

You... think I'm Monika?

You're wrong.

I'm not Monika.

I don't know who that is.

I don't know who I am.

Watch your mouth, or you will dig my grave.

And bury me in it.

Dreams.

Reality.

Choices.

Is that what you think life is?

Don't make me laugh.

Your God isn't watching.

Now get out of my head.


End file.
